Oui'
by dustypencils
Summary: AU. ***WARNING*** Chapter 1 contains explicit content. This story is about Olivia Pope's journey from being in an abusive relationship to discovering who she is while in a relationship with Fitzgerald Grant. (Some of this is M-rated.)
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything that belongs to Scandal. It's all Shonda's.**

 **A/N: This AU story is inspired by an old album cover I came across recently with Larry Graham of Graham Central Station in a white suit. Check out the "Your Love" track. Couldn't get the idea out of my head so here it is. Didn't know about FF until two years ago. Go figure. Haven't done any creative writing in 100 years. Forgot how hard it is. Hats off to all the authors. Been a big consumer of the wonderful content on this site, now I want to contribute - just this once. Don't hate me. It gets better. Always Olitz.**

 **Cast of Characters**

 **Olivia Pope** – An entertainment attorney who is in an abusive relationship with her client-boyfriend R &B superstar Damien Lord. She often wonders how she got to this place in her life.

 **Damien Lord** – The latest and most popular male R &B singer in the world. His story is truly one of rags to riches. Damien has a reputation for being difficult to work with and no one in the industry likes him, but he generates a lot of revenue for The Beene Entertainment Group.

 **Cyrus Beene** – President and CEO of The Beene Entertainment Group. His entertainment businesses span various media outlets and he has signed the top talent across entertainment genres. After 40 years in the business, Cyrus is ready to retire, but only after the ink is dry on the contract for the hottest R &B singer in the world. The signed contract is his parting gift to his successor, Fitzgerald Grant.

 **Fitzgerald Grant** –Senior Vice President of The Beene Entertainment Group. Fitz was handpicked to succeed Cyrus Beene as President and CEO when Cyrus retires in three months. Fitz is a handsome, Ivy League-educated, no-nonsense kind of man who has a passion for the business but not the talent side. He's everything Cyrus Beene isn't, and that's why Fitz is the perfect choice to lead The Beene Entertainment Group into the future.

 **Act I. The Penthouse**

With a joint in one hand and a tumbler of Hine 250 single barrel cognac in the other, Damien Lord reclines on the luxurious eight-foot-long, white chenille Guy Chaddock sofa in his penthouse on the 55th floor of the Parkway Building, Legs out-stretched across the massive Ralph Lauren glass cocktail table, Damien takes a long toke on his joint and holds the burning smoke in his lungs before exhaling.

Olivia Pope, Damien's attorney and girlfriend, sits at the other end of the overly priced sofa, far away from Damien, trying to prepare the strategy for their final contract negotiations with Cyrus Beene, president and CEO of The Beene Entertainment Group. While Cyrus Beene might present as a fuddy-duddy, he is old school and cunning. Olivia needs to be ready.

As usual, Damien isn't interested in business. Getting high and spending money are his only interests lately. He no longer enjoys belting out tunes in the deep bass voice that won him many contests as a kid in Beaumont, Texas and several Grammy awards since making it to the big time. Now, the music is only a means to an end. Texas, he thinks to himself with sadness, seems so long ago. How did I get here he wonders?

Damien drags deeply on his joint, holding the smoke in his lungs as long as he can to access the escape he seeks desperately. Exhaling, he takes another long swig of the cognac, relishing in the burning sensation the liquid causes when mingled with the weed on his tongue. He looks around the luxurious penthouse and shakes his head, not believing how far he has come since the backwoods of Texas. At times, he can't believe he's made it this far. Sometimes, hell, most of the time Damien thinks he's just a fraud and will be found out sooner or later. Wondering when the jig was going to be up, he sucks hard on the joint again until the tip burns bright red.

Damien still feels like that scrawny kid from Beaumont who ran around without shoes until he won his first singing contest at 12 years old in the dirty, smoke-filled juke joint on Baynton Street. Damien got a job at the Cheque Please Juke Joint cleaning after the owner found him out back one night digging through garbage cans for food. Once Butchie, the club owner, realized Damien could sing better than the acts he was paying top dollar, Damien was promoted promptly from cleaning floors and toilets to singing every night to the drunken patrons.

Damien's daddy kicked him out of their home (if you can call the shotgun-style house a home) at the age of 10 when one day Daddy Lord declared suddenly he was no longer going to feed a useless, tongue-tied, ignorant, good-for-nothing who was never going to amount to anything. Damien had to go.

Always a shy child because of his speech impediment, Damien clung to his mother for love and support because he never got it from his father. That's why on this fateful day he looked to his mother, his savior, to rescue him as his daddy dragged him out of the house crying and kicking. Through the tears and his twisted tongue, Damien begged his mother to save him.

"Mama, mama. Help me please," Damien cried as he grabbed the door frame, trying to hold on to the only existence he had ever known.

"Mama, mama. Help me please," Daddy Lord mocked him, laughing hysterically. His daddy mocked people all the time, especially the wealthy men in town he did odd jobs for sometimes.

His mother never looked up as his father threw him out onto the muddy front yard, barefoot and scared. She sat silently at the rickety table in the dank kitchen with her head bowed as a lone tear rolled down her face. She learned long ago not to intervene when Daddy Lord was meting out his brand of discipline. After all, she has scars all over her body to remind her. This horrific night was the last time Mae Lord ever saw her son.

Damien was tired of being afraid. He just wanted to forget everything, so he took another drag on the joint. No amount of weed and liquor, however, could erase his childhood memories.

Unlike his handlers (lawyers, accountants, PR people), including his beautiful attorney-girlfriend, Damien doesn't have any formal education. But what he doesn't have in book smarts he makes up for with his god-given talent, so he tells himself. Trying to shake from his head the thoughts of not being good enough and of being a fraud, Damien downs the last of the brown liquor, tosses the tumbler onto the glass table, and looks over at Olivia who is busily scribbling something on her notepad. She doesn't notice Damien glaring at her.

That bitch is always writin' something, he says to himself. She thinks she's better than me 'cause she came from a good family, went to a bunch of fuckin' Ivy League schools, and speaks three or four languages nobody can even fuckin' understand. What the fuck is an Ivy League school any way he mumbles to himself? His insecurities start to get the best of him again as the weed and liquor dance around in his brain.

He pours another tumbler of cognac.

"Olivia!" Damien slurs, startling her from deep concentration on Damien's latest change requests to his contract with The Beene Entertainment Group. Olivia looks up from her notepad.

"Yes, Damien?" she asks, tilting her head and looking at him quizzically.

"Yes, Damien?" he mocks her as the smoke from the dwindling joint forms a cloud around his head, giving him the appearance of a space alien.

Here we go again,Olivia thinks, as she looks over at him.

"Olivia, come on over here and give daddy some sugah," he beckons with his right hand that holds the tumbler of cognac. The expensive brown liquid splashes onto the white sofa, but Damien doesn't seem to notice or care. Olivia cringes as the brown liquid seeps into the cushions.

"Damien, we have to finalize the terms of this contract and be ready to meet with Cyrus Beene in an hour" she says, looking down at her watch.

"I said get over here and give daddy some lovin'."

Actually, Olivia says to herself, you said "come on over here and give daddy some sugah." Olivia learned the hard way never to mock Damien out loud. Her internal monologues were her private form of entertainment that helped her to maintain what was left of her sanity. Olivia places the notepad and the folder holding the revised contract onto the glass table and slowly slides over to Damien.

"Yes, Damien?" she asks, looking up into Damien's bloodshot eyes.

"You think you better than me, don't you?" **Insecure**.

"Don't start now, Damien. We have to meet Cyrus. This is your biggest contract yet."

"Bitch, you don't tell me what to do. Fuck, Cyrus!"

"I'm not -" she began, but those were the last words out her mouth before Damien back-handed her, sending her flying across the room, tripping over the glass cocktail table before landing hard onto the plush white carpet.

"Damien, please. Don't do this, not now," Olivia pleaded.

"Get on yo' knees," he snarled as he stands from the sofa. Unzipping his pants and releasing his typically soft member, he walks over to Olivia. She knew the drill well, so Olivia lifted herself onto her knees and looked up at Damien with shadowed contempt.

"Didn't I say give daddy some lovin'?"

While Damien usually tried to conceal his stuttering, it was always more pronounced when he was high, which made him sound like a silly child in that moment. Damien let his pants and boxers drop to the floor, stepped out of them, and kicked them aside.

"Get over here and open your fuckin' mouth!"

Olivia crawled over to Damien, closed her eyes, and opened her mouth. Damien grabbed Olivia by her throat with his left hand while holding his still soft member in his right hand. He forced himself past her lips and into her mouth. Olivia closed her lips around Damien and began to do what she has done so many times. Damien thrust his pathetic flesh deeply into her mouth, almost causing her to gag.

"You better make me come, bitch. And, you better not think about bitin' me!"

Olivia kept her eyes closed and floated away to her private paradise, the place no one could touch, as she sucked and sucked and sucked. Damien pumped relentlessly, grabbing the back of Olivia's head, holding her in place while she took him to ecstasy.

"Yeh, Olivia. Ooh, baby. Just like that. You sure know how yo' daddy like it" he stuttered.

Damien lifted his left leg and placed his foot on Olivia's thigh, angling farther into her mouth while his balls slapped against her chin.

"Lick my balls, Olivia. Lick 'em right now!"

Olivia released him from her mouth, angled her head to catch his balls and began to slowly lick his hairy sac, just the way he likes it. Olivia sucked his balls and stroked Damien with her right hand as he stood over her, head thrown back; writhing in the pleasure Olivia's mouth was giving him.

It was Thursday and Marta had just finished folding the laundry. On her way to the linen closet to put away the towels, Marta walked towards the living room. As she entered the living room, she was horrified by what she saw. Marta gasped out loud in shock, dropping the towels to the floor. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. The beautiful and kind Miss Pope was on her knees giving oral sex to her idiot boss-boyfriend.

"Get the fuck outta here unless you want to get on your knees too," Damien snarled.

Marta ran from the room sobbing and screaming something in Spanish. Damien threw his head back laughing maniacally. Once again Olivia was humiliated, caught on her knees in a $3000 white Dolce & Gabbana suit, licking Damien's balls and sucking him dry. Damien accomplished his goal.

Leaning back with bended knees, Damien continued pumping into Olivia's mouth while screaming over and over, "You ain't better than me. I'm Damien Lord!"

Olivia sucked and sucked his small member.

"That's right, baby. Right there. Oh my god. Right there. Just like that. You feel so fuckin' good. Don't stop. Don't stop. Please don't stop," he moaned.

Damien's body stiffened as he exploded in Olivia's mouth. Holding her head flush to him, he jerked and twitched as he rode out his orgasm.

"And you better swallow."

Damien slid his flaccid member from Olivia's mouth and pushed her back onto the floor. As she lay on the soft, white carpet, she felt blood running from under her left eye and onto her white suit jacket. She rolled onto her side, away from the sound of Damien laughing hysterically. Oddly, her only thought at the moment was she didn't want to be late for their appointment with Cyrus Beene. Work and her reputation were all she had left. And crying, well that was a luxury she no longer afforded herself. She was cold and dead inside.

"Baby, you got the best fuckin' lips ever," Damien stuttered. "Did they teach you that shit in one of those Ivy League schools? Damn, I think I'm gonna keep you foreva."

"Now get on up and clean yourself up," Damien yelled while pulling up his pants. "We don't want to be late for Cyrus, right?" he smirked as he staggered back to the cocktail table, picked up the decanter of cognac, and poured himself another drink. Taking a big gulp, Damien shook his head as the liquid glided across his tongue and down his throat on the path to his gut. He looked into the glass and shook his head thinking,I don't even like this shit _._

 **Act II. The Restaurant**

After much pleading and cajoling, Cyrus finally convinced an unwilling Fitz to sit in on the final negotiations for Damien Lord's contract renewal. Fitz was reluctant to attend the meeting because he prefers to distance himself from the talent and focus solely on growing the business. Entertainers can be such prima donnas he thought. He also detests Damien Lord. Although Damien is one of The Beene Entertainment Group's highest grossing talents, Fitz thinks Damien is an asshole. Damien has several DUIs, paternity suits, and is known to spend more time in the clubs than in the studio recording new music. But, he has a huge following of loyal fans that flock to his concerts wherever he performs. Yes, Damien is an asshole and Fitz would rather be anywhere except in a meeting with him and his attorney who Fitz is sure is an asshole as well. Fitz would rather be playing racquet ball at the club with his best friend Leo.

However, Fitz acquiesced to Cyrus' request since this was the last big deal Cyrus wanted to close before retiring in three months. Over the last year, Cyrus has been finalizing his succession plans by introducing Fitz to all of their top talent, letting everyone know Fitz will be the new guy in charge. Fortunately or unfortunately, Damien Lord was definitely one of their top talents and he was the last big client Fitz needed to meet. As Fitz understood the meeting's purpose, he was to be introduced to Damien as the new contact and Cyrus would close the deal. All the elite talent had direct access to Cyrus and that wouldn't change once Fitz is leading the company. Hopefully, the meeting won't last more than an hour Fitz thought, because he definitely does not want to socialize with Damien Lord.

Fitz and Cyrus sat in the plush, red leather booth at the famous Preggio Restaurant waiting for their client to arrive. Preggio is the place where big deals are discussed and closed. It is not unusual to see celebrities, politicians, and surrogates in the upscale restaurant throughout the day.

Fitz was dressed impeccably in a navy blue, pin-striped Brooks Brother suit; tailored to perfection. He sported a crisp white shirt, gold collar bar, and a red, silk Ferragamo tie. The gold cufflinks are a family heirloom, given to him by his late father. The gold Rolex is a gift from Cyrus after Fitz accepted the job as President and CEO of the company. He was the picture of class and confidence. He was effortlessly cool. But that cool was wearing thin since the two idiots have not arrived yet. He detested tardiness.

"Late as usual," Cyrus muttered, looking down at the ice melting slowly in his vodka on the rocks.

Leaning back with his long legs crossed, Fitz lets out a heavy sigh and continues scrolling through the messages on his phone. He begins tapping a message to Leo to reschedule their racquet ball match when he hears Cyrus declare, "finally," after spotting Damien and his attorney walking toward their table.

Olivia was dressed immaculately in a tailored white Versace pant suit. A silk, ivory-colored, V-neck camisole peeked through the buttoned jacket that stopped just below her small waist. Opera length gold chains around her neck swing side to side as she power walks through the dining room in her five-inch Jimmy Choo's. The gold stud earrings her mother gave her on her 16th birthday grace her ears. She has worn the earrings every day since that fateful day. She is the picture of simple elegance.

As she and Damien walk toward Cyrus, she glances quickly at her gold Cartier watch. Great, 45 minutes late. I hate being late.

Cyrus stood to greet the two while Fitz continued reading his messages, clearly not interested in being cordial to Damien and his attorney who are 45 minutes late.

"Damien, good to see you as usual," Cyrus droll, extending his hand to an obviously inebriated Damien.

"Yeah, yeah old man," Damien slurs. Ignoring Cyrus' out-stretched hand, Damien pushes past him and settles into the booth. **Social etiquette**.

"Olivia, it's good to see you as well. You're looking fabulous as usual," Cyrus says in French.

"Good to see you too, Cyrus," responding in French.

Damien rolls his eyes. He hates this shit she's pulling. Always trying to show how fuckin' smart she is because she speaks a couple fuckin' languages. I'll show her how smart she is when we get back to the fuckin' hotel. **Insecurity**.

"Who the fuck are you?" Damien growls, now eyeing Fitz suspiciously.

Fitz ignores Damien and continues to scroll through his messages. I don't have time for this shit, Fitz thinks.

"Cyrus, who is this motherfucka ignoring me? Don't he know who I am?"

Cyrus raises his eyebrows, giving Olivia a questioning look, wondering if Damien was going to be a problem. Of course Damien was going to be a problem. Damien is always a problem. Cyrus scampers quickly over to the table before things can escalate between Damien and Fitz.

"Oh, Damien. I was just about to introduce you to Fitzgerald Grant. He will succeed – uhm, replace me in three months when I retire. Bright. Really bright. You two are going to get along so well," rushing his words before Damien can argue.

Great, another smart motherfucker I got to deal with, Damien thinks.

"I need a drink."

"Of course. Of course." Cyrus chimes and flags over a handsome young waiter.

Cyrus resumes his seat next to Fitz and Olivia slides into the booth next to Damien and across from Fitz. Fitz puts his phone inside his jacket pocket, looks at his watch, and finally looks up at Damien as if he just realized someone else has joined the table.

"Mr. Lord," Fitz says flatly, piercing blue eyes staring Damien squarely in the eyes, not bothering to extend his hand.

"Fuck you!" Damien growls.

"Of course." Fitz deadpans.

Fitz turns his attention to Damien's attorney and is struck by the saddest eyes he's ever seen. Extending his left hand to Olivia, Fitz says in French, "Hello, I'm Fitzgerald Grant. I am so pleased to finally meet you, Miss Pope."

"I am so pleased to meet you, Miss Pope," Damien mocks.

Keeping her hands folded on top of her Louis Vuitton portfolio set atop the smooth mahogany table, Olivia responds in French, "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Mr. Grant." She then turns her attention quickly to Cyrus.

I guess she's as much of an asshole as her boss, Fitz thought when Olivia didn't shake his hand.

Keenly aware of Damien's watchful eyes, especially when in the presence of powerful and confident men, Olivia chose to ignore Fitz' social gesture. She did not want to give Damien any more ammunition to use against her when they returned home.

Olivia knew all of Damien's insecurities, after all, that's how she met him. Being around smart and strong men intimidated him. Damien hates himself for always feeling like the frightened and abused little boy from Beaumont, so he keeps Olivia Pope around to run interference for him. She has brains and is eloquent. She is everything he isn't, and he hates her for it.

"Let's get this shit over with," Damien barks.

"Yes, let's," Olivia says smoothly while opening the portfolio to retrieve copies of the revised contract. Olivia gracefully hands everyone a copy of the contract. Damien tosses his aside, landing it in the bread basket. He slips on his Beats headphones, leans back, closes his eyes, and begins bobbing his head to whatever was on his playlist at the moment. Fitz placed his copy neatly to the right of his sweating drink and leaned back against the smooth leather, wondering when this circus was going to be over. After all, there were only a few minor changes Damien demanded at the last minute a couple of days ago. He wanted to include stupid shit like having Twizzlers in his dressing rooms while on tour. Fucking Twizzlers, Fitz thinks to himself, shaking his head at the ridiculousness of it all.

Stealing a glance at the woman seated across from him while she and Cyrus discuss the contract, Fitz realized she is indeed a beautiful woman, but an incredibly sad woman apparently. While he didn't know if Olivia's relationship with Damien was anything more than professional, Fitz didn't stare too long because he didn't want to chance antagonizing Damien any more than he already had. After all, Damien is a significant asset to The Beene Entertainment Group. Fitz wondered, however, why such an obviously smart, talented, and beautiful woman was wasting her time with the likes of Damien Lord.

Fitz glanced at Olivia again, this time long enough to notice the faint bruise under her left eye. While the make-up did a good job concealing most of the damage done to her beautiful face, Fitz could tell the bruise was recent. None of my damn business he thought, shaking his head again in bewilderment.

Finally, the updated terms of the contract are agreed to by all of the parties. Olivia, Cyrus, and Damien seal the deal with their signatures.

"Damien …" Cyrus starts. "I'm glad you are going to continue to be part of the Beene family. I think this is cause for celebration, don't you?" This was truly a cause for celebration. Cyrus Beene, the old sly fox, has once again signed the top R&B artist for the next five years.

Fitz stood from the table as Damien started high-fiving Cyrus.

"Please excuse me. I need to make a call," Fitz said, reaching inside his jacket to retrieve his phone. Neither Cyrus nor Damien acknowledged Fitz, so Fitz took this as his opportunity to whisper to Olivia, in French, to meet him at the bar. Fitz wasn't sure if Olivia heard him because she sat stone-faced, looking straight ahead, staring at nothing in particular, while Damien and Cyrus continued to bask in their renewed relationship. Olivia learned a long time ago since being with Damien how to take mental respites without anyone being the wiser.

"Champagne for everyone!" Cyrus shouts gleefully; clapping his hairy, wrinkled hands.

"That's what I'm talking about," Damien said slowly, trying to control his stuttering.

"Champagne sounds good, Cy. Make sure it's Preggio's best," Olivia said while rising from her seat.

"Where are you going?" Damien asked nervously. He can't carry on a conversation with Cyrus for long without her.

With a practiced, plastered smile, Olivia says, "To powder my nose. Save some champagne for me," she said as she walked away.

Olivia needed to get away from that monster named Damien. She felt like she was suffocating from the stench of his weed, liquor, and ignorance. She couldn't breathe. On her way to the ladies' room, Olivia passed the waiter who was bringing the champagne to their table. Good, she thought. The champagne will keep Damien occupied for awhile. Drinking champagne always made him feel like an important man, so he drank a lot of it, especially when someone else was paying.

 **Act III. The Light**

As Olivia strolled through the dining room, she took in the scenes around her. The room was abuzz with energy and everyone really seemed to be enjoying themselves, a stark contrast to the meeting she just left. She saw ladies throwing their heads back, laughing effortlessly at something their dining partners said. She glanced at lovers sharing intimate whispers and caresses. She heard melodic music playing softly in the background, crystal glassware clinking to toast an accomplishment, and silverware scraping bone china to retrieve Chef DuSalle's mouth-watering creations.

With another quick glance around the room, Olivia decided in that moment she was done. She was done living this ridiculous life. She was done sacrificing her mental, emotional, and physical health for a person who does not have the capacity or desire to change. After all of these years, haven't I served my penance? Don't I deserve to be happy?

It was never about love. From the beginning it was about her need to save him – to fix him. And he needed to be fixed. But his emotional scars are too deep. His demons began to rear their ugly heads rather quickly and, whatever they had initially, changed into something sick and twisted. But she stayed. Why did I stay so long she wonders? Olivia pushed the thoughts from her mind for now.

The sunlight streaming through the ornately designed front doors of the restaurant caught Olivia's attention and she began to follow the light. A small smile crept over her face as she walked closer and closer to the light. She imagined that a better life, a happy life existed for her beyond those doors. Heart pounding in her chest, she strolled confidently toward her future.

As she nears the exit, she's overcome with a feeling of peace. And she is really smiling now. She feels lighter. She feels free. Suddenly, a strong hand grabs her arm and pulls her into a tiny, dimly closet across from the bar teeming with the happy-hour crowd. Her heart crumbles. _Damien_. Olivia whipped her head around to face her monster, but instead, she came face to face with the bluest eyes. _Fitz_. She eyed him closely for the first time because she dare not look at him while they were at the table with Damien. He was indeed a handsome man.

"What are you doing?" she asks with indignation.

Ignoring her question, Fitz asks, "Are you leaving so soon, Miss Pope?"

With an edge to her voice, "I don't think that's any of your business, Mr. Grant," pulling back and glaring into those damn eyes.

The tiny closet required them to stand chest to chest, breathing in each other. Looking down at her, Fitz wondered why anyone would want to mar such a beautiful face. Fitz lifts his left hand and cups the side of Olivia's face. Ever so gently, he runs his thumb over the almost-camouflaged bruise under her left eye. Instinctively, Olivia leans into him. She has not felt this kind of warmth and compassion in so, so long. She closes her eyes tightly to quell the tears. Crying is not a luxury she allows herself.

"Open your eyes," Fitz demanded through clenched teeth, anger filling his chest.

No response.

"Open. Your. Eyes," Fitz repeats tenderly this time, his warm breath causing her eyelashes to flutter.

Olivia slowly opens her eyes and looks into his pleading face.

"Does he beat you?"

The silence stretches for what seemed like an eternity as sad brown eyes stare into stormy gray eyes. Finally, in the smallest and most broken voice ever, she breaks the silence.

"Oui'." And the tears begin to flow.

 **18 Months Later**

"You should get back to work," not sounding too convincing.

"I am working," he groans, trailing wet kisses down her neck.

"Cyrus would have a heart attack if he knew what was going on in his old office."

"Then we won't tell him," he smiles into her neck. She rolls her eyes playfully. God she loves this man.

Holding her close on his lap, they sit in the huge, black leather chair in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows that allow the sunlight to flood the room. Aware of how sensitive her breasts are now, his left hand gently caresses her right breast through her silk blouse, while his right hand rubs soft circles on her growing stomach.

Face buried into her neck and breathing in her scent, in this moment he feels happier than he has ever felt in his entire life. He was making out in the middle of the day with the woman of his dreams. And, she was giving him a son in three months.

Things were rough for them in the beginning though, because of her trust issues. More than once he wasn't sure if they would make it. And, god, he wanted to have a life with her. He wanted her to have his babies, to grow old together. While he never doubted her love for him, he watched her struggle with being in a real relationship, with opening up and sharing her feelings. Although she told him about some of her past, he knew there was so much more she kept locked away.

"Livvie, for god's sake, if you won't talk to me, then go talk to someone!" he shouted after another night of arguing. He'd suggested more than once that she talk to someone. The suggestion only caused them to fight more. Until one night she broke down in his arms, confessing she didn't know how to do this – to be in a relationship with him. She didn't know how to be loved by him.

Together they found a therapist with whom she was comfortable. Over the months, the therapist helped her to understand why she allowed certain things to happen in her life, and why she was now struggling to accept his love. He was patient. He was reassuring. He was loving. All of this was unfamiliar to her. It was scary. In time, however, she grew to trust him – to love him without inhibition.

"Fitz," Olivia moans. Eyes now closed she leans back into his chest and runs her fingers through the soft curls at the back of his neck.

"We shouldn't," her voice heavy with desire.

He continues nibbling at her neck, his own desire growing.

"But, but Lauren …"

"Is running errands."

"We can't."

"We can and we will," Mrs. Grant.

Page | 11


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Some of you wanted to know more about how Olivia and Fitz got together. I got a few more chapters coming to let you know. I'm having way too much fun writing this. But, it's all belongs Shonda.**

 **Chapter 2**

 **18 Months Ago**

Gone from earlier are the suit jacket, tie, and collar bar, as Fitz stands in front of the 18-foot-tall, floor-to-ceiling windows in his apartment. Top three buttons of his shirt undone and sleeves rolled to his forearms revealing the fine hairs, Fitz looks out the windows, at nothing in particular. The windows provide him a beautiful panoramic view of the city, but at the moment, he has too much on his mind to even care. He sighs heavily and runs his hand through his hair. Shaking his head, he takes another sip from the tumbler containing his favorite beverage.

The violet hour has beset the city, giving it the appearance of calm. There isn't anything about what's going on in his life right now that can be considered to be calm. Downing the last of the scotch, he walks over to the bar and pours himself another one. Replacing the stopper on the Baccarat crystal decanter, he walks to the sofa when his phone began to vibrate in his pocket.

Looking at the screen, the last number he wants to see right now is displayed - Cyrus. Great he thinks. He takes another sip before answering.

"Hello, Cyrus."

"Where the hell are you, Fitz?" Cyrus booms through the phone.

"Home", not interested in giving long answers.

"Home? Home? What the hell are you doing at home?

"Calm down, Cyrus, he says wearily." Fitz knew this was already a failed request because once Cyrus Beene is riled up, it takes forever to calm him down.

"Why the hell would you leave a contracts negotiation meeting and go the hell home of all places?" Are you ill? Please tell me you're sick because there is no reason in hell why you should leave a contract negotiations meeting with one of our freakin' top talents just to go home?" Cyrus' eyes and veins are bulging.

"First of all …", Fitz says calmly, running his hand through his hair again and collecting his thoughts. First of all", Fitz begins again. "The deal was done. All the parties have signed the agreement", he said, trying to sound firm.

"Getting the contract was only part of the meeting", Cyrus shouts. The other purpose was to get you and the talent acquainted", slamming his hand down on his desk."I was stuck alone at the table with that idiot for almost two hours. Into the second hour he started acting like a maniac because his girlfriend had not come back from powdering her freaking nose!"

Silence.

Girlfriend, Fitz thinks. So they are in a relationship.

"Fitz!" Cyrus screams. "Are you still there?"

"Yes. So what else happened?"

He left in a goddamn uproar, that's what happened!" Of course he left in an uproar, everyone knows he can't do shit without Olivia" , Cyrus says, sitting into his chair and running his fingers through his thinning hair.

"By the way, did you happen to see Olivia Pope when you left the restaurant? She seems to have disappeared."

Fitz sighs heavily, closes his eyes, and leans back against the sofa cushion.

Silence.

"Fitz, what the hell is wrong with you? You're acting very strange. Are you sure you're ok?" Cyrus speaks quickly.

"She's with me Cy – at my place." There, it was out. Now the onslaught.

"Mother of God", Cyrus says softly, sliding his wrinkled hand down his equally wrinkled face. "Fitz, please don't tell me you banged Damien Lord's girlfriend?

Fitz let out a huff. This is going worse than he thought it would. I didn't think.

"It's not like that, Cyrus."

"Then what the hell is it like?", Cyrus asks, jumping to his feet – back to screaming.

Fitz pulls the phone from his hear to salvage what was left of his eardrum.

"Calm down, Cyrus"

"What the hell - ?"

"He beats her Cyrus", Fitz interjected, cutting off Cyrus. For god's sake, he beats her. I saw the bruises at the restaurant.

Silence.

"Did you hear me? He beats her."

Silence.

Sitting back into his chair, Cyrus begins softly, "There have been rumors – for some time now - that something like that might be going on."

Fitz shoots up from the sofa, startled by what he just heard.

"You mean you knew? You fucking knew what that asshole was doing and you said nothing?" Fitz screams.

It was Cyrus' turn to try to calm down Fitz.

"As I said", Cyrus began slowly. "They were only rumors, not real proof. You know the business we're in. There are always rumors about one thing or another. Don't active naïve."

"Well this is not a rumor", Fitz says, pacing around his living room. He stopped and looked down the long hall to make sure the guest bedroom door was still closed.

"Apparently it's been going on for some time", he said, shaking his head. God, he thought, how does shit like this even happen?

Silence.

"So, what are you going to do, what's next?"

"I don't know. I didn't think it through. I just saw she needed help so I got her out of there", giving Cyrus the abbreviated version of the story. He didn't need to upset Cyrus more than he already had.

"You're a good guy, Fitz. You're one of the good ones. And, under normal circumstances I would find your actions admirable, but - but your actions might prove to be very costly to The Beene Group.

"The deal is done, Cy", Fitz said flatly.

"Contracts are broken every day, Fitz. You know that."

Cyrus is right, of course. Shaking his head, he wonders again what he has gotten himself into.

"Fitz, we have to fix this and fix it fast before Damien gets wind of what's going on."

"I know", Fitz says softly.

"So what are you going to do?" Cyrus asks, more empathetically this time.

"I honestly don't know, Cy."

"Fitz, Damien is an asshole and not the smartest person I've ever encountered, but even he, after awhile will be able to put two and two together. He'll realize the two of you never returned to the table."

"We can spin this", Fitz says quickly. He has no proof we left together and that she's at my place.

Cyrus sits nodding his head, thinking this just might work.

"I can't let her go back to him, Cy. That's just wrong."

"OK. I'll fix it. One last deal before I retire", he chuckles humorlessly.

Whoever said things always looked better in the morning didn't know what the hell they were talking about, Fitz thought as he walked from the shower and into his bedroom, dripping water along the way. Fitz was finally able to fall asleep (if that what you want to call it) last night after realizing he wasn't going to come up with a solution to his Olivia Pope problem. He was restless all night, tossing and turning, and the evidence was reflected in the mirror. The usually handsome face showed dark circles under his eyes and fine lines a little deeper this morning. I'm getting old he thought.

He quickly pulled on his boxers, sweatpants, and tee shirt and walked down the long hall to the kitchen to make a pot of extremely strong coffee. As he approached the living room, he saw an already dressed Olivia standing in front of the large windows, in the same spot he stood last night. He clears his throat to make his presence known, not wanting to startle her. Slowly, she turns around with a steaming mug of tea in her tiny hands.

"Hi", she says, smiling nervously.

"Hi. Good morning, Miss Pope. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I did. I made coffee", she says looking over to the kitchen.

"Thanks", he says as he walked barefoot on the hardwood floors into the kitchen.

Olivia turns around and resumes taking in the view of the city. Mug in hand, Fitz joins Olivia in looking out at the cityscape.

"Nice view", she says, looking straight ahead.

"It is – on most days – when it's not raining." He sips the steaming coffee. "Mmm. This is really good. You make a good cup of Joe, Miss Pope. Are you hungry? You didn't eat anything last night."

"No, I'm fine. I don't typically eat breakfast. Just tea", she says holding up her mug.

Fitz' stomach began to growl loudly, and they both laugh out loud.

"Sounds like someone's hungry", she smiles brightly.

"I guess I forgot to eat last night", he smiles, a little embarrassed.

"Let me fix you some breakfast", she says, already walking to the kitchen. "It's the least I can do to repay your generosity."

There it is, the opening he was looking for. Not wanting to rush her to discuss what happened at the restaurant, but they needed to talk about last night. They had to game plan.

"You don't have to, Olivia", he said, following her into the kitchen.

"I know I don't have to, but I want to" she says, as she walks over and pulls open the Subzero refrigerator. Such a large refrigerator with so little food she thinks, pulling out the eggs, butter, peppers, onions, and mushrooms. The vegetables were close to spoiling, but she can salvage most of them. She places all the items on the huge midnight black granite island. Looking around the kitchen, she tries to figure out when he keeps his pots and pans.

"Excuse me, where do you store your pots and pans?" she asks as he sits at the island drinking his coffee and checking his messages on his phone.

"Bottom cabinet, on the right, next to the stove", he say, pointing in the direction of the cabinets.

She retrieves the frying pan and places it on the commercial-style, stainless steel Viking stove. "Fitz, you have a beautiful kitchen – well your entire apartment is absolutely gorgeous. Everything looks new. Did you move in recently, because these appliances don't look like they've gotten much action?"

"I don't cook – can't cook", he says matter-of-factly.

She looks at him astonished. "You can't cook – like anything?" she says unbelievingly.

"Nope. The decorator selected everything. She stocked all the rooms with the necessities. By the way, did you find all the toiletries you needed in your bathroom?"

"Yes, I did. Thank you. Well, I love to cook – everything. My mom and I would spend hours on the weekend cooking up a storm. We would prepare all of our meals for the week on the weekends so we had more free time during the week. Our kitchen was always a mess by the end of the day", she said while pulling the chopping board from the cupboard. She slid the chef's knife from its holder resting on the countertop and began chopping the vegetables. Fitz was amazed at the ease in which she navigated his kitchen and prepared the food. None of the women he dated ever seemed remotely interested in going anywhere near his kitchen.

"And my dad, well he was our guinea pig. Poor man. He ate everything we made and never complained", she said with a far-away look on her face.

Leaning back into the plush leather, countertop-height stools, with arms folded, Fitz listened to Olivia recount stories of her childhood. He was learning a little about Ms Olivia Pope.

"Are you still close to your parents", Fitz asks innocently.

She freezes as she began to crack the eggs into the mixing bowl.

"My parents are dead", she said quickly.

Feeling like a louse, Fitz said, "I'm so sorry, Olivia. I had no idea. I would never have …"

"That's okay", she said softly. "It's been a long time. You had no way of knowing."

Cracking the remaining three eggs into the bowl, she drops in a pinch of salt and a splash of cold water, just like her mother taught her. Mom said the water helps to make the eggs fluffy, she remembers sadly. With the eggs in the bowl, she realizes she doesn't have a whisk. She starts pulling open drawers and cabinets to get all the utensils she needs before proceeding. She remembers her mother saying, "Livvie, don't run around the kitchen like that, you'll wear yourself out, baby. Get all of your utensils, bowls, and ingredients before you start to cook. It will make cooking much easier."

Olivia shakes the thoughts from her head and begins to gather everything she needs.

Butter. Check.

Spatula. Check

Whisk. Check

"Check, check, and check" she says looking at the items on the countertop.

She places the spatula and butter knife on the counter next to the stove, and places the whisk next to bowl holding the eggs.

Fitz continued to watch the scene before him. He watched as she cut the butter into the pre-heated frying pan, then scraped the vegetables from the chopping board into the sizzling pan. While the vegetables sautéed, Olivia whisked the eggs, removing all the air so they can be light and fluffy. Curious about her actions, Fitz stands and walks over to the stove.

"You're making an omelet", a statement not a question.

"I'm making an omelet."

"I love omelets", he smiled.

"Good", she said, grabbing the bowl with the egg from the counter and taking it to stove. "Do you like toast?"she asked before pouring the egg mixture into the frying pan with the vegetables.

"I love toast – with jam!" he beamed excitedly, like a five-year-old boy.

"Toast it is then."

She drops two slices of multi-grain bread into the Breville toaster and moves back to the stove to make the omelet. He was fascinated by her every move. His stomach growls again.

"I'm sorry", he smiles sheepishly. "Everything just smells so good."

"One more minute and you can dig in.

She pours the eggs into the frying pan and waits for the mixture to begin to bubble and leave the edges of the pan.

"When do you flip it?"he asks with great interest.

"I don't flip. I fold", she says grabbing the spatula.

"Oh."

She plates the omelet and grabs the toast as it pops from the toaster. She places the toast on the bread plate.

"Sit."

"Yes, ma'am", Fitz says, sliding back into his seat.

"Olivia, this looks terrific", he says as she sets the food on the countertop in front of him.

"Eat", she says.

"Aren't you going to have some?"

"I don't eat breakfast", she said, walking to the refrigerator to get the jam. (My favorite flavor too, she thinks.)

"Your jam, mister", she says, placing the jar in front of him. Rifling through the drawers looking for a spreader for his jam, she finds a simple silver one and hands it to him."

"Thank you", beaming brightly at the prospect of eating the feast in front of him. Between bites he says how good the omelet tastes. "This is wonderful. I haven't had a real breakfast in …, well I don't know when," he says, digging into his omelet.

"OJ?" she asks, marveling at how he is enjoying his meal.

"Yes, please."

She's looking into the sparsely filled refrigerator for the orange juice.

"Looks like you're all out of OJ."

Shaking her head, she says, "Fitz, you literally have nothing in here to eat. "

Chewing a mouthful of omelet and toast, he washes it down with coffee. Still looking down at his plate, he says, "I guess we have to go food shopping."

Still looking into the refrigerator she freezes for a moment then regains her composure.

"Mr. Grant", she says, turning around slowly to face him. "I appreciate everything you've done – I really do, but I hope I haven't given you the wrong impression. I'm sorry if I did", she said quickly.

Finally realizing what he said, he gives himself a mental kick. Shit, he thinks. Slowly lowering his fork to his plate, he takes another sip of coffee, trying to collect his thoughts before responding.

"First, my name is Fitzgerald. My friends call me Fitz. Second, I didn't get any impression. You need a place to stay. And, you will need to eat. That's all I meant.

Am I digging myself in deeper he thinks? What the hell am I doing, offering her to live here? Cyrus is going to fucking kill me.

"Are you crazy, Mr. – Fitz? I can't stay here with you. I know you might have an idea of who you think I am, but I don't need or want your pity", she says bitingly.

Anger rising in his chest, he stands from the high-back stools and walks slowly to where she is standing near the refrigerator. Towering over her, he glares directly into her eyes, and with clenched teeth says, "I don't give pity – to you or to anyone else. It's a waste of time. She opens her mouth to make a snarky comment, but her raises his left hand to silence her. She cowers closer to the refrigerator, and his heart breaks because he realizes she thought he was going to hit her. He takes two giant steps back from her, giving back her personal space.

"Liv - Olivia", he says tenderly. I didn't mean to …. I would never touch you in that way. I am so, so sorry. Forgive me", looking at her pleadingly.

Still pushed against the refrigerator, she stares at him intently, fighting back the tears.

"I can't stay here", she says with a trembling voice.

"OK", he says softly.

"I have to go back."

"No! That's not an option."

"So you want to boss me around, too?" she shouts from against the refrigerator.

"No. Hell no. I just want you to be safe. When I saw you at the restaurant, I thought you were an asshole, like … . But, I also saw sitting before me the saddest person I've have ever seen. There was no light in your eyes, Livvie – Olivia. And when you told me, in that closet, what was going on, I knew in that moment I had to do something. I had to get you to someplace safe. I don't have any ulterior motives. Hell, I don't even know what to do with you! I didn't think it through. I just reacted.

After a few moments, in a small voice, she says, "I'm sorry, and thank you."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. You're the victim here." She cringes at the word victim. "And, you don't need to thank me. I just wanted to help you to get away from a terrible situation. That's all."

He stops talking and looks at her intently.

"OK", she says softly.

"OK? You'll stay – for awhile – until we can figure out our next steps?

"Yes."

"Good." Cyrus is going to fucking kill me.

She made a list of all the things she would need while staying at Fitz' place: clothes, toiletries, etc. They, well she, also made a grocery list. They were going to need some food in this place, she thought.

They went to all of her favorite stores to buy her new clothes, make-up, and toiletries, and anything else she thought of. Their hands were full with her purchases as they walked to his car to put all the bags into the trunk. What did she buy, he wonders? He dared not ask because he didn't want to offend her.

At the grocery store they went up and down each aisle getting everything on Olivia's list, and many things not on her list. They were in the store for hours because she has to read the label on every package before it can be placed into the shopping cart. He smiles as he watches her purse her lips, in deep thought while reading the labels.

He can't remember the last time he stepped foot into a real grocery store. He usually grabs whatever he needs from the convenience store on the first floor of his building. Or, he orders take-out. Now, here he is with Olivia Pope buying out the grocery store, and surprisingly, he doesn't mind at all.

They had to make three trips from the garage in his building where he parked to bring all the bags up to his apartment. With the bags spread over the foyer floor, it was a site to behold.

"Whew!" she says, looking around at all the bags.

"I didn't realize we bought so much", she says "No wonder we had to make three trips to the car."

We, he smiles to himself. Fitz was keenly aware how much she bought, of course he kept his thoughts to himself. He'd never seen anyone do marathon shopping.

"Well, I guess we better start putting this stuff away", she says.

"Why don't you put your things away in your bedroom and I'll put all this away in the kitchen. Deal?" he said looking around at all the bags.

"Deal."

After about an hour, Olivia walked down the long hall from her bedroom and into the kitchen. The sight before her caused her to laugh hysterically. Fitz turned around with raised eyebrows wondering what was so funny.

"And what's so funny? he asks, turning from the open cabinet, holding a jar of jam."

"Nothing … just … she continues laughing, hand on her stomach.

"What? he's befuddled and really wants to know what has her so tickled.

"Well", trying to control her laughter. "I've been gone", looking down at her watch, "for like an hour". "I unpacked and put all of my things away and you haven't put a dent into those grocery bags." The bags were strewn across the counters – some empty and others with foodstuff spilling out.

"I'm trying to figure out where to put everything", he says seriously. "I've never had this many groceries in my apartment – ever."

He's so adorable she thinks. Nodding her head, she walks toward him and takes the jar of jam from his hand.

"You really like this stuff", she says, reading the label.

"I do."

"You bought like three jars."

"I did. I'll share with you if you are nice", he says smiling.

"You're too kind, mister."

After another hour all the groceries were put away and the kitchen was back to its normal state.

"I'm wiped out", Fitz says reclining on the sofa.

"Me too. We did a lot of shopping today."

"We did", he hums.

"By the way, I got you something", he says, walking to his desk.

"Fitz … ."

"Don't worry, it's nothing much. I thought you could use this", he said handing her a new iPhone. She needed to trash her old one.

She looks astonished. She was overwhelmed by his thoughtfulness.

"Thank you", she says softly.

"So, what do you want for dinner tonight? We have a lot to choose from."

"Olivia, you are my guest. While I love your cooking, please don't feel you have to prepare every meal. We can always get take-out."

"I know", she says shyly. "It's just – I really enjoy cooking and I haven't had a lot of opportunity lately to cook." I'll make you a deal", she says, turning to him and smiling. "We can order take-out tonight and I will cook you a fabulous meal tomorrow night, or whenever you like.

"I'll have take to take a rain-check on tomorrow night because Cyrus has me working late. But I'm going to hold you to your promise. Deal?"

"Deal."

"Now, what should we order?"

"Chinese", they say in unison, and burst out laughing.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: To be legal, this all belongs to Shonda. Also, reviews are welcomed.**

Chapter 3

Fitz is sitting on his bed shirtless and in his boxers reading something on his iPad when his phone begins to buzz on the nightstand. Cyrus.

"Hello, Cyrus."

"Fitz", Cyrus begins without preamble. "I think I've found a solution to our _little_ problem."

"Go ahead", Fitz says, sitting up straight, intrigued by what Cyrus has come up with.

"Well", Cyrus drags out. "Like I said a couple of weeks ago, _he_ doesn't know where _she_ is. Been asking all over town I hear, but no one knows anything, of course."

"Of course."

Fitz is humored by Cy's codified language. He thinks Cyrus is really enjoying the situation.

"Well, for all _he_ knows, _she_ got on a plane to Amsterdam or somewhere."

"And …"

" _His_ three-month concert tour starts soon. So, once _he's_ gone, _she_ will be in the clear – _she_ can get out of town for real. _She_ can move out of your place, which I'm sure you can't wait for that to happen, by the way."

Silence.

Fitz doesn't know why Cyrus' last statement made him uncomfortable.

"Fitz", you have to stop doing this shit. You have to speak up to let me know that you haven't keeled over from a heart attack."

"I'm still here, Cyrus."

"So, what do you think? Sounds like a plan? We get _him_ another attorney – man this time – a girlfriend to travel with him, and all will be good. In a few months, when _she_ still hasn't shown up, _he_ would have moved on with some other bimbo. And, _she_ would have moved on – out of your apartment."

Fitz cringes.

"I think it's a brilliant plan, if I must say so myself. I love it", Cyrus says, very proud of himself.

Silence.

"Dammit, Fitz. Did you fall asleep?"

"Brilliant plan, Cyrus. It might just work. I'll run it past Liv."

Silence.

"Cyrus"?

"Fitz, you're not falling for this woman, are you, because that could complicate everything?"

"Not at all", Cyrus. "It's a good plan. I will talk to you tomorrow. Goodnight", Fitz said quickly, wanting to get off the phone. Cyrus is cunning and perceptive. He might be a media mogul, but he could have easily been a detective.

Cyrus held on to his phone long after Fitz hung up. He had a sneaking suspicion that his friend was beginning to have feelings for Olivia Pope.

"So, what do you want to do today? he asks as they finished cleaning the breakfast dishes.

The kitchen was a mess because Fitz insisted on helping Olivia to prepare breakfast this morning. He said he felt badly that she has been making him breakfast almost every day for the past six weeks, and now wanted to contribute.

"I eat the food too, Fitz", you don't have to.

He might be a brilliant business man, she thought, but he is absolutely clueless in the kitchen. Since he was so excited about playing sous chef, as he referred to himself, she couldn't turn down his offer. He's too cute when he gets excited about something.

Everything took twice as long with Fitz' "help". He was adorable, concentrating intently while chopping the vegetables ever so slowly.

"They don't need to be perfect, Fitz", just chop.

"OK." She just broke my concentration he thought.

Olivia was ready to sauté' the vegetables, but Fitz wasn't nearly done chopping them. She just couldn't shake how adorable he looked. Cute, really cute.

"Shit!" he shouted.

Oh my god, he just cut his finger, looking over at him. Blood had begun to drip down the index finger on his right hand. And, he's standing there looking at his finger seemingly not knowing what to do.

"Give me your hand", she says, moving into action quickly.

She turned on the faucet and stuck his hand under the running cold water to stop the bleeding.

"Does it hurt? she asks while wrapping a towel around his finger.

"No", he says with his puppy dog face.

"Liar. I think I saw some bandages in my bathroom. Stand there and don't touch anything", she ordered before going to retrieve the bandages.

"Yes, mommy", giving her that boyish smile.

She rolled her eyes playfully and walked to the bathroom to get the bandages. She's so cute when she rolls her eyes, he thinks, smiling to himself.

"So, what do you want to do today?" he asks while she doctors his finger. It was just a knick, but she treated it as though it was major surgery. She's terrific.

Olivia finishes preparing their breakfast, without Fitz' help. While eating, Fitz starts again.

"You didn't answer my question."

"What question was that?" pretending like she didn't know what he is talking about.

"Today – what do you want to do?"

"Fitz" she starts. "You're a very busy man. I'm sure you have a lot you need to do. You don't need to feel like you have to babysit me. I'm fine – really. Go do what you normally do. Don't worry about me. By the way, I've been here for like six weeks, I'm sure your girlfriend is freaking out about now."

She's fishing so he ignores her comment.

He wanted take her out and spend the day with her. But, he didn't want to appear to be over-bearing, like he was trying to control her every move. She is still trying to reconcile her past.

"OK. I didn't mean to assume …."

"It's OK. I'm OK. Really. Go have some fun."

"OK. If you're sure, then I'm going to get dressed and meet Leo at the racquet ball club. We haven't played in ages."

"Leo?" she asks quizzically.

"My best friend. We went to Harvard together."

"I see. Have fun", she smiles weakly as he walks to his bedroom.

She missed him. He has been gone for hours, much longer than she thought he would. How long does it take to play a stupid game of racquet ball any way? She wanted to spend the day out with him, but she doesn't want him to feel like he had to take care of her. After all, he has done enough already.

"You are absolutely a wet blanket tonight, Fitzgerald", Leo says, sipping on his soda. He never liked alcohol, probably because his father was a raging alcoholic. He never criticized others for drinking though.

"What do you mean?" looking at Leo with his sad, blue eyes.

"First, I kicked your ass in racquet ball. We both know that hardly ever happens. Second, you hardly touched your drink. And we know that hardly ever happens either."

Fitz gives his friend a weak smile.

"So, what gives?" Leo asks leaning back in his chair.

"I met someone, Leo", Fitz says, looking down into his glass.

"Well, well, well", Leo smiles broadly. "It's about damn time. Who is she? When can I meet her?

"It's complicated."

"Tell me you haven't gotten involved with a married woman. You could never bring her around Abby if she's married. Abby doesn't go for shit like that."

"It's nothing like that, Leo."

"Then what the hell is it, then? Because it's obvious to anyone with eyes you're smitten with this woman."

Although Leo is Fitz' best friend, he could not give him all of the details of how he and Olivia met. While he wasn't ashamed of his feelings for Olivia, he wanted to protect her privacy.

"Damn, you love this woman", Leo sums ups.

"I guess I do."

Sitting in the dark, the room lighted by the moon beaming through the windows, Olivia was on her third glass of wine when she heard Fitz' key slide into the lock. The sound of the key resonated through the eerily quiet apartment. Quickly closing the door behind him, he slips off his shoes in the foyer and walks slowly into the living room. He was struck by the wonderful aromas lingering in the space.

"Hi", she says, placing her wine glass on the table.

He nearly jumped out his skin, not expecting her to still be awake.

"Shit, Liv – Olivia. You scared me shitless. What are you doing sitting here in the dark? Is everything okay? Did he …?

"Everything's fine. Did you have a good time with _Leo_? she says sarcastically.

"Well, he gave me real competition on the court for once. Then he insisted we go for dinner and drinks - to catch up", he adds quickly.

For some reason he feels guilty about coming home so late. He feels like he owes her an explanation.

"I see. Well, I'm going to put things away in the kitchen, then get ready for bed."

He follows her into the kitchen and his heart sinks when he sees all of the food she prepared.

"I'm sorry, Olivia. If I had known you were going to prepare dinner I would have come home earlier", he looks at her with that damn puppy dog face.

"Fitz, you don't owe me an apology. I should not have assumed. It's fine. Everything is fine. You can eat this tomorrow, if you like."

She left the kitchen quickly, getting away from him so he wouldn't see her disappointment.

Idiot, he says to himself. I'm a fucking idiot.

Olivia had a restless night. Why am I acting this way? He didn't know I was going to cook dinner. And, he surely doesn't owe me an explanation about his day with _Leo_. If he was really with _Leo_. What am I thinking? He has only been kind to me. I need to find another place to live, like real soon, she thought as she doze off to sleep.

The next morning Olivia is awaked by a soft knock on her bedroom door. Groaning, she rolled over to check the time on her phone resting on the nightstand. 7:42 am. Aaargh, too much wine last night.

"Knock. Knock. Can I come in? Are you decent?"

"Come in" she says, pulling the covers over her chest.

Fitz pushes the door open with his foot and enters the bedroom holding a huge tray and wearing an even bigger smile.

"Good morning, Olivia. I made you breakfast."

Oh god, she thinks.

"Well, I reheated the dinner you prepared last for our breakfast", he said, walking towards the bed.

Furrowing her brow, she tries to see what's on the tray.

"Fitz", she says softly with surprise.

"Scoot over."

She moves to the far side of the bed so he can place the tray in the middle.

"Fitz", she repeats, bringing her hand to her smiling lips.

"Don't thank me", he smiled brightly.

She rolled her eyes. So cute they both thought.

The tray held everything she prepared last night for their dinner: veal chops, risotto, and sautéed broccoli rabe with garlic. The chocolate cake for dessert and two glasses and a bottle of red wine were also on the tray.

Sitting onto the bed, he said, "I hope you have an appetite this morning, Miss Pope? In that moment her stomach began to growl because she didn't eat any dinner last night. She was too upset.

"We can't have dinner for breakfast, Fitz", she said smiling brightly.

"We can do whatever we want", he said while opening the wine. "You obviously spent a lot of time preparing this meal and we're not going to let it go to waste. So eat."

"Yes, daddy", she smiles, digging into her food.

They talked about anything and everything while they ate. Of course the meal tasted awful because it had been over heated. But they didn't mind because they were sharing it together.

"Thank you" she says, smiling at him.

"I'm sorry", he says looking at her intently with those damn eyes that get her every time.

"You're forgiven."

"So, Leo thinks I have a crush on you", he says digging into his risotto. Actually Leo says I'm in love with you, but he didn't want to scare her.)

She froze, mouth agape, fork in mid-air, broccoli rabe dripping from it.

"You told _Leo_ about me? She asks nervously, setting down her fork.

"Of course, he's my best friend", he says nonchalantly, now cutting into his veal chop. He continued devouring his food as if he hadn't just dropped a bombshell.

"Did you tell _Leo_ everything?" She's looking at him incredulously, but he doesn't seem to notice. She has officially lost her appetite. The party is now over.

"I told him only what he needs to know", he says between bites.

"What the hell does that even mean, Fitz?" her anger rising. What did he do, she wonders? And why the hell is he still shoveling food into his damn face as if exposing my secrets to _Leo_ is the most natural thing in the world to do? I don't even know this damn _Leo_. And now he knows every damn thing about me. She moves to get up from the bed.

"I told him I think I'm falling in love with you – that I _am_ in love with you", he says adamantly, now looking deep into her eyes.

She freezes.

"I love you Livvie. I'm in love with you."

"Fitz", she says softly, sliding back into her spot on the bed.

"Can you say something other than Fitz", he smiles nervously. He didn't mean to say it, not like this. He hadn't processed any of this. He just knows how he feels – how she makes him feel. Pretending they don't have a connection is pointless.

"Livvie – Olivia", he says, and her heart melts. She loves when slips and calls her Livvie. No one has called her that since her parents. She smiles inwardly.

Not wanting to startle her any further, he gently places his hand on her arm and continues.

"Leo called me out on it, you know?"

She gives him a confusing look.

After our match, we went to Fabi's for a couple of drinks. You know Fabi's right? Down on 58th?"

He knew he was rambling, making absolutely no sense and she thought it was the cutest thing. Holding in her laughter, she gave him a pointed look, urging him to continue telling her what Leo said. Leo might not be so bad after all.

Getting the hint, he continues.

"Well, at Fabi's, Leo began to complain that I was distracted all day. And, apparently I might have mentioned your name a few times. Leo was getting a bit tired of me not being good company because I kept going on and on about you. Honestly, Liv, I didn't realize I was going on about you. Anyway, Leo wanted to know all about you, about the woman who has apparently stolen my heart", as he puts it. He smiles at her. Happy he told her how he feels.

God I love his smile she thinks.

"Fitz. I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything", he says just above a whisper. "I don't want you to feel uncomfortable", he rushes his words. "I know you have been through a lot, Liv, and still are going through a lot. But, I just wanted – needed you to know how I feel. I expect nothing from you. There, I've said it", he said, letting out a huge sigh.

The tension in the room was heavy.

He so cute when he's nervous, she thinks. He said he loves me, she begins to smile openly.

"Well, I think I better take these things to the kitchen", he says, gathering the tray from the bed.

"Fitz", she calls as he walks to the door.

He stops and looks over at her still sitting on the bed.

Silence

"Liv, you don't …"

"I love you, too. I'm in love with you, too", she says through smiling tears.

His face lit up as if the sun was radiating from within him. Sauntering back to the bed, he leans down and places a deep and passionate kiss on her lips. God, he's wanted to do this forever. The wine bottle falls from the tray, spilling its content onto the bed.

"Fitz, you just ruined my bed", she said playfully.

Well, Livvie, I guess you'll just have to sleep in my bed tonight", he said, walking out of the room with the biggest smile.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: It's all Shonda's. I like reviews of all sorts.**

Chapter 4

"People can work from home or anywhere in the world with today's technology. Wasn't the case when I started this business", he reminisces. "Everybody was in the office, all the time. Today they have a special language for all of this."

"It's called work-life balance, working from home, working remotely, Cy."

"Yeh, yeh, that's it. Do we do any of that stuff here? I let that woman in HR - what's her name - can never remember so I just call her 'Honey'."

"Tell me you didn't call the head of our HR department, 'Honey', Cy?"

Cy gives Fitz the 'is there a problem look'.

"Cyrus, for god's sake. It's sexist and demeaning. Her name is Diane Barker by the way."

"You know her?"

"Of course. We've had lunch together a few times. Wanted to know her thinking on the latest developments in human resource management. Wanted to discuss her ideas on how we need to plan for the changing demographics of our workforce. Boomers retiring - millenials, Gen Xers - coming onboard."

"Spare me all of the gory details, please."

"I've met with all the other department heads as well, I might add. Cyrus, your people have some very progressive ideas on how to make The Beene Group a 21st century company, enabling us to maintain our competitive edge and to grow all of our businesses. It's not just about the entertainment talent, the people out front, you know? The back office talent is just as important. We must have the entire supporting infrastructure - people, processes, and technology - in place to make all of this work."

Cyrus looks impressed. "That's good - really good, Fitz. You see, that's why you're perfect to replace me. I never had time for those kinds of things. You're going to do great things for this company, great things."

"I'll be planning a few international trips next year as well to get to know our executives across the pond - better understand their operations."

Cyrus perks up at the idea of Fitz traveling abroad for business because that will get him away from Olivia Pope.

"Good, good. Checking out our international operations is a good thing, a good thing."

"But, as I was saying, everybody is so politically correct. Can't have a damn normal conversation with anyone these days."

"The world has changed, Cy - is changing. So no more calling Diane Barker 'Honey'. We don't want any unnecessary lawsuits."

Cyrus pounces quickly at the word lawsuit.

"Speaking of lawsuits... _He's_ getting antsy, suspicious."

Fitz knows exactly who Cyrus is referring to. He groans internally, leans back in his chair, and throws his pen across the desk. Anger rising in his chest, Fitz begins. "We have a plan, Cy - a good plan. Everything's going to be all right. The tour starts in just a few days - a few US cities first, Europe, then Asia. He can't back out of these commitments because he can't find his attorney. Lawsuits work both ways, Cyrus."

"You know she's more than his attorney, Fitz", he says carefully.

Fitz is in full anger mode now, eyes stormy gray and lips pursed into a thin line. The two men stare intently at each other, neither one willing to be the first to look away. Nodding his head a few times then walking to the door, Cyrus stops.

"Smart, really smart. You're a smart businessman, Fitz. I just wish you were as smart in your personal life." Cyrus is out the door before Fitz can respond.

Where is she he wonders while standing in front of the tall windows, sipping on a tumbler of scotch? He's been home for almost 45 minutes and no Olivia. He checked the bedroom and was relieved to see all of her things were still in the closets and drawers. He checks his phone again to see if he had missed a message from her. Nothing. He hears her key click in the lock and he lets out the breath he'd been holding.

She places her purse, keys, and a small bag on the foyer table and begins to remove her boots. It was beginning to get chilly out. Autumn is on its way she smiles to herself. She loves autumn.

Fitz doesn't turn around. He continues staring out into the night sky. Olivia walks into the living room rubbing her hands together, trying to get them warm.

"Fitz", she says smiling. "I didn't see you standing over there." She walks over and gives him a peck on the cheek.

Silence.

Not picking up on his demeanor, Olivia continues to the kitchen. As she turns the flame on under the kettle she notices the green light on the warmer is still blinking. That's odd.

"Fitz …, she says slowly, walking into the living room. Fitz continues standing with his back to her.

"Boy, it's beginning to get chilly out. I am literally frozen. The weatherman said earlier we better pull out our winter gear because it's going to get cold over the next couple of days. Autumn is here she sings happily. You know what that means don't you?"

Now realizing he hasn't said anything since she entered the apartment and has yet to turn around to look at her, she wonders what is going on.

"Fitz, are you okay? Did something happen?"

"You don't look frozen to me", he says tersely finally turning around with the darkest eyes.

"What?"

"Literally means in an exact, precise sense. Something you're not being now. Where were you?"

"Excuse me?"

"It's a simple question, Olivia. Where. Were. You?"

"I don't think I like the tone you're using with me."

"Just answer the damn question, Olivia. Again, where have you been all afternoon? It's after 7:00."

Really not liking his tone, she snaps, "I don't have to give you an accounting of my every action."

"Of course", he blows as he walks over to the bar and pours himself another drink.

"Fitz, what's going?" she tries again, not wanting whatever this is to escalate into a full-blown argument.

"I've been home for over an hour and you didn't bother to let me know that you wouldn't be home for dinner." He knows it's not about the damn food.

"You got home early today? I thought you said you were going to work a little later tonight. Did you not see the plate I left in the warmer for you?" 

"I don't want to eat alone." He could be such a baby sometimes.

"I've only been gone a few hours, Fitz."

"And you still haven't told me where you've been. Were you with him?"

"What? No, I would never!"

He's unfazed by her rant because he still doesn't know where she's been.

"Did you need to see him before he goes on tour?

She's staring at him mouth agape, in disbelief. She can't believe what she's hearing. They just stare across the room at each other. The whistling tea kettle breaks them out of their stare down. She goes into the kitchen and turns off the flame. Watching the steam rise from the kettle she can't believe what is happening. She's no longer interested in drinking tea. She just wants to take a hot bath and go to _her_ bed.

She turns off the kitchen lights and walks across the living room to get to her bedroom.

"So, you're not going to answer my question? standing by the bar with a drink in his hand.

"I will not be interrogated by you or anyone else."

"That's rich", he says low, but loud enough for her to hear.

"You're being an asshole. Goodnight!"

He knew he was being an asshole, but he couldn't stop himself. Cyrus' comment earlier had put him on edge so he left the office earlier than he planned to get home to her. He had gotten used to her being home at the end of his work day. And, he was jealous as hell of the hold that monster had/has over her. The thought of her going back to him made him sick, no it scared him.

He went over to the bag she left on the coffee table to see what she bought herself. Setting his glass on the table, he pulls out the red tissue paper-wrapped item from the bag. He unwraps the item. Now he really does feel like an asshole. 

**Flashback**

"Don't forget your scarf and gloves, the temperature is supposed to drop tonight while we're still out. " 

"Got 'em. Now let's go, mister."

It was Sunday and they decided to take a long walk through Monument Park. It was autumn, her favorite season, the trees were at peak color. The bold and earthy oranges, reds, and yellows were showing off today. She loves the crispness in the air this time of the year. She just doesn't like the season that follows though.

Holding hands, they walk through the park, crunching fallen leaves under their feet. They were getting to know each other. They alternated between doing things each of them enjoys as a way to learn more about the other, the walk in the park is because she loves the autumn colors. He introduced her to what he calls manly stuff, like hockey and football games, his gym, and of course, racquet ball. She took him to art shows, concerts, and shopping, of course. They tried each other's favorite restaurants. He loves Indian and Thai. She hates them both. He hates the sushi she loves so much, but they love a good steak – medium rare – and Chinese, of course.

Liv however, didn't share too much personal information with him. And for the most part, she was reserved with her feelings while he was always open about everything. He knew she has had a rough time, but he wished sometimes that she would be more open, more demonstrative. Fitz enjoyed touching her, kissing her any chance he got. Although she would reciprocate, she was cautious. This was all new territory for her. He needed to give her more time. After all, they've only been together for a short while.

They also decided to refrain from intercourse because she just wasn't ready. He understood. They, however, found many creative ways to be intimate, to please each other.

"I'm getting cold, Fitz."

"Coffee?" he asks, giving her a peck on her temple.

"Hot chocolate", she smiles.

"By the way, what happened to your gloves?"

"I don't know. They must've fallen out of my pocket somewhere along the trail", she looks around.

"Here, put these on. They'll get you warm in no time. These are the official gloves the athletes wore at the Winter Olympics in Sochi", he stated proudly.

"I'm impressed. But won't you get cold?"

"I'm a manly man", he smirks. "My hands don't get cold."

She rolls her eyes.

He slides the huge gloves onto her tiny hands and of course she looks ridiculous. They burst out laughing at just how ridiculous she actually looks.

"They're too big, Fitz."

"But they'll keep you warm", giving her a peck on the nose. "Come on, let's get that coffee."

"Hot chocolate", she corrects, sticking out her tongue.

"Whatever", he says pulling her along to the little cafe at the bottom of the hiking trail.

 **Present Day**

He smiles as he remembers that day. It was their first time out together after he told her that he loved her. At the cafe where they drank their coffee and hot chocolate, they discussed their budding relationship. 

**Flashback**

"Honestly, I'm not sure I'm really ready for this", Fitz.

"Livvie, I know you've been through a lot, and it was unpleasant for you, so I want us to take our time and figure out what this is between us. I won't rush you into anything you're not ready for. OK?"

So many thoughts swim through her head as she stares into his expecting face, into those damn eyes.

"OK."

"OK, then!" a big smile spreading across his face.

"You know, Miss Pope", he says while they wait for the elevator in the parking garage of his building, I am going to have to pin your next pair of gloves to your coat sleeves. You have lost two pairs of gloves in the span of a few hours."

"I'm sorry. My father used to tell me the same thing when I was little. I was always losing my gloves or mittens", she smiles sadly.

He kisses her left temple. "Will you tell me about them sometime?"

"I will."

The elevator dings.

 **Present Day**

Fitz sits on the sofa feeling awful. He let his jealousies get the better of him. He didn't want to be that guy, the kind of guy who needs to control her. She's had enough of that. He just wanted to protect and keep her safe. He wanted her to be his. He looks down at the men's gloves sitting in the tissue paper and thinks he has to make this right. He doesn't want to lose her.

When did I get to the place where I don't sleep well without her he thought as he lay alone in his massive bed? He had a fitful night of tossing and turning. Of reaching out to cuddle her to only realize her side of the bed was empty and cold. He hardly got any sleep last night and he knew he was going to be a grouch all day. He won't have time for any of Cyrus' shit.

I have to fix this, he thinks. I have to find a way to apologize and make things better between us. He finally rolls out of the bed to hit the shower. He's dreading looking into her eyes this morning. _Shit_.

After a quick shower, he dresses in a dark grey suit and white shirt. He grabs a couple of neck ties from his tie tree and heads down the hall with ties swinging. She's in the kitchen, of course. He walks slowly over to the kitchen and stands in front of the island, across from her.

"Good morning."

"Good morning" she says flatly, not turning around.

"Something smells good, but everything you cook always smells good, Livvie.

Silence.

"So what are you cooking?"

"Waffles."

He smiles internally. She knows waffles are his favorite. Maybe I didn't screw up too badly.

"Can you help me with this? I can't seem to choose today."

She turns around and he is taken aback by the dark circles under her eyes and how tired and sad she looks. He never wanted to see that look of sadness in her eyes again. And he damn sure didn't want to be the cause of her sadness.

"Livvie …"

"The blue one", she says, pointing to the tie hanging from his right hand. She turns back to the Hubert Belgian waffle maker. She's mad as hell with him but she knows he likes Belgian waffles, especially the single Brussels pattern ones.

He lays the ties on the island and walks over to her, mindful not to invade her space.

"Livvie, I am so sorry about last night. You're right, I was being an asshole. I am an asshole."

"Don't, Fitz …"

She moves to the refrigerator to get his favorite jam. She places the jam on the counter, turns around and lifts the waffles from the iron and places them in the plate on the counter.

"You should eat. You have a busy day."

"Livvie, I'm sorry. I was being insecure last night. I had a rough day at the office. Of course those aren't excuses for what I said. When I got home and you weren't here, I panicked. I literally fucking panicked which surprised and scared me. The thought of this, you and me, all going away terrifies me."

"Did you _literally_ panic?" She knew she was being childish but she just couldn't resist.

"I'm sorry about that, too.

"This can't be all about you, Fitz – your needs."

"I know."

"I don't think you do. I had a career before – well before everything happened. Although my circumstances weren't ideal, I enjoyed the work I did. That's what kept me going – helped me to survive the hell I was in. I am a bar-certified attorney, and I haven't worked in almost two months. I cook and clean and get your laundry – not that I mind – I enjoy doing all of those things for you. But, I need more. I have to do more. I need my independence. So when you attacked –"

"I didn't mean to –"

"When you attacked me last night, with your words, it felt like the same kind of physical and emotional abuse I escaped."

The word abuse shocked him. He would never consider himself to be an abuser. He's nothing like that bastard she left. He's crushed because he didn't want to be that kind of guy, he's better than that.

"You made me feel like I was your property and that I always need to be here at your beck and call. I should be able to go out without fear of you getting upset with me. I can't stay inside of these beautiful walls all day. I'm trying to get better – healthy – Fitz. I can't feel like I have to sacrifice my independence to appease you. I can't do that again. I won't do that again."

Shaking his head, "I get it. I really do. I was an ass. I was feeling insecure."

You're a good man, Fitz, but you just described the characteristics of Damien."

This was a knife to his gut.

"I want to see if we can make this thing between us work, but this time I have to make sure I am doing it in a healthy way."

"OK."

"And Fitz, if I am going to get healthy, to become a better person for you – for myself, I need you to stop treating me like I'm broken."

"OK."

"And, I need you to stop judging me for the decisions I've made in my life. I can't go back and change my decisions. God knows I would if I could, but I can't. But I won't have you judging me, Fitz. That's just disrespectful."

"I will never apologize for caring about you, for loving you, for wanting the best for you. And, I do not judge you for past decisions. I'm sorry if I ever made you feel that way, but I never judge you. I just – I just never want you to hurt again. You're too important to me."

"You hurt me last, Fitz."

"Liv, I can't promise that I won't say stupid things in the future, but I can promise you I will never hurt you like that again. OK?"

Silence.

"OK."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Liv, I should be home no later than six", standing in front of the mirror in their bedroom trying to knot his tie.

"Let me do that", she smiles while crawling out of bed. He huffs, dropping his arms to his sides while she knots the tie she gave him. Some days he struggles with getting his tie right. She pecked him on the lips when she was done. He pulled her in for a deeper kiss, starting a full-blown make-out session.

"We don't have time – you don't have time", she says pulling away from him", Cyrus will be waiting."

"Fine, we'll finish this tonight. I'll call you around 11, before my lunch meeting?"

"That's not necessary, Fitz", you should focus on work. "I'm fine. I'll be fine."

He'd grown to know that this phrase means she isn't fine – that she's feeling insecure.

"I want to, OK? I love you", giving her another peck before leaving for work.

Cyrus was waiting in Fitz's office when he arrived.

"Cyrus?" he asked, surprised to see Cyrus sitting in his office.

Walking to his desk, Fitz asks, "Did our meeting time change? Did I not get the notice?"

Cyrus waves off his questions.

"Fitzgerald", Cyrus begins.

The full name Fitz thinks. This can't be good. Slowly easing into his leather chair, he prepares himself for Cyrus' monologue.

"Fitz", Cyrus begins again. What's going on?" he asks leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, looking at Fitz how a predator looks at its prey.

"What's going on?" Fitz looks at him curiously.

"Cy, I told you needed to take off for a few days."

Cyrus waves him off again, stands, and begins to pace.

"I'm not talking about that. Well, I'm kinda, sorta am."

"Cyrus, you're rambling. I get nervous when you start to ramble."

"I mean, what's going on with _her_?

Here it comes. Fitz sighs. He knew this was coming. He understands Cyrus has every right to know what is going on with Olivia. After all, this is his company, the one he built from the ground up for the last 40 years. Cyrus didn't want any scandals. He's run a clean business for the last 40 years. There was no getting around having this conversation.

"Sit down, Cyrus", Fitz offers the pacing man.

Cyrus slips back into the chair next to Fitz' desk, crosses his legs, and prepares for the update. The old, gray fox had a feeling that whatever he was about to hear was not going to be good.

"First", Fitz says calmly. "Her name is Olivia.

Cyrus hides his astonishment. I know her freaking name. I knew her freaking name before you, he thinks to himself.

"Second", Fitz continues. "We're in a relationship." He lets that revelation hang in the air for awhile. Cyrus' eyes are bulging. Blue eyes staring into blue eyes. Cyrus breaks the silence.

"A relationship, relationship? Or a relationship?

"I love her Cy. I'm in love with her. I know the situation isn't ideal, but I don't care, Cyrus. I fell in love when I wasn't even trying. We, Olivia and I, want to try to make this work. We want to be together. We know it's not going to be easy – for many reasons", his voice trails off.

"Fitz –", Cyrus starts.

Fitz holds up his left hand to halt Cyrus' comments.

"Cyrus, as I said, this is not an ideal situation for either Liv or me. We weren't looking for this to happen. I understand there could be implications – legal implications for the company. The last thing I would ever want to do is put The Beene Group in jeopardy. Therefore, to prevent any public scandal, I will be tendering my resignation, not taking over as President and CEO. I will stay around long enough to help you find my replacement and to ensure a smooth transition of my responsibilities."

Cyrus is incredulous. He can't believe what his ears are hearing. His protégé', the person he groomed to succeed him, to take the reins of the company is willing to throw it all away because he fell in love.

Trying to remain calm, Cyrus asks, "Does Olivia know about this – about your decision to resign."

"No", he says shifting in his seat, now feeling uncomfortable. Fitz touches his tie and says, "She doesn't need to worry about this Cyrus. This is my decision. This is all me."

Fitz knew Olivia would have no part in his plan, and Cyrus knew that as well.

"This isn't over, Fitz. We will talk about this again", he says walking toward the door. With his hand on the doorknob, Cyrus stops, turns around, and glares at Fitz, and says, "And I don't accept your resignation."

Taking long hot baths after dinner had become one of their rituals, a way to be intimate, to catch up on the day's events. Olivia was getting restless staying at home. She needed to get back to work. Doing what, she didn't know. Although they have been talking about her career over the last several weeks, what she wanted to do, this isn't the conversation she wants to have tonight as they lay in the giant tub listening the smooth music playing through the speakers.

Fitz is lying back against the tub with Liv sitting between his legs. She's lying against his chest, eyes closed, enjoying their closeness and the music. He kisses her neck and runs his hand up and down her thighs.

"Mmm", she moans. "This is nice."

"This is nice", he says dreamily, leaving soft bites on her neck. "I love you so much", he says, caressing her breasts.

"I love you, too."

He smiles because she still doesn't say it first.

"Fitz", she moans, running her hands up and down his muscular thighs. I love that he works out she thinks.

"Hmmm?" he's in heaven.

"How are things at the office?

"Everything is fine. All uneventful", he says in pure bliss, reaching his hand in the water to caress her sweet spot.

"Mmm", Olivia moans. "I see", opening her legs wider, enjoying his wonderful fingers and the warm water caressing her.

His desire was also growing against her bottom, as he continued to stroke her.

"Fitz", she moans again, desire beginning to consume her.

"Do you want to?" His voice heavy with love. "Tell me if you want to, Livvie."

She's riding his hand, feeling all the love he has for her.

"Fitz", she moans just above a whisper.

"Tell me. Tell me what you want, Livvie, and I'll do it." He wants her so bad.

"Cyrus called me today."

"You can't possibly think this is a good idea, walking away from everything you worked for your whole life, and for what? She shouts angrily while pacing around their bedroom.

"For the women I love", he says matter-of-factly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Sitting on the bed, he stares at her with so much love in those damn eyes.

His words stop her in her tracks.

"Fitz, you can't do this. I won't allow you. I'm not worth it."

At that, he sprang to his feet, eyes a stormy gray. "Don't. You. Ever. Say. That", he says with clenched teeth. "You're worth it. You're everything. I love you. I can find another job", he says in one swift breath, chest heaving up and down.

"Fitz, this is not just a job. It's being President and CEO of the Beene Group. You know what that means", she pleaded. There are people out there who would sell their first born for an opportunity like this. You can't just throw it all away.

For hours, they went around and around arguing the same points, without resolution. She was tired and her head was hurting.

"Fine. I'm tired and I'm getting a migraine. I'm going to bed", she said walking toward the bedroom door. "I'm sleeping in my room tonight."

"I'll call you later, okay?" He asks softly.

Silence

"OK?" he looks at her pleadingly.

"OK", she said softly, looking out of the large window – not at him.

He gives her a peck on her cheek and walks out the door. She continues looking out the window thinking how she is going to fix this.

"You had no right, Cy!" he shouted while standing in his boss' office. "My personal life is none of your damn business!" face red with anger.

"Everything you do, Fitzgerald, is my damn business", the old man snaps, standing toe to toe with his protégé', the man he considers to be his son.

"She's smart, Fitzgerald. She gets it. She knows she isn't right for you."

"Fitz", Cyrus begins, more calm. "I get it, I do. Well, maybe I don't get it in the same way you do, but what I mean is I understand. Every man – any man, enjoys something different – exotic – new."

"Shut your damn mouth, Cyrus!" he says getting into the old man's face. "Don't you ever speak of Olivia like that again in my presence! Do you understand? Have I made myself clear?

"Crystal."

Fitz slammed the door to Cyrus' office, causing the woodwork to cringe. He's angry. He needs to get home.

"Don't – " he says, standing in her personal space, face to face in the living room. "Don't you ever go behind my back and make decisions about this – about us", he says, waving his finger back and forth between them. "I won't have it, Olivia!

She's scared. She has never seen him this angry.

"I know you're not used to being in a relationship where couples discuss things – make decisions together - "

As soon as the words left his mouth he knew he had crossed the line. _Shit_. Her eyes grow wide and she begins to back away from him.

"Liv, I'm sorry."

"No!" she says, holding up her hand signaling him to stop talking. Shaking her head, she grabs her coat from the closet and purse from the small table in the foyer and heads for the front door.

"Baby", he calls to her. "Where are you going?" he asks nervously, following her at a safe distance not wanting to spook her any more than he already has. "I'm sorry. Let's talk about this."

"I need some air. I need to be alone."

"Are you coming back"?

 _Shit_. _Shit_. _Shit_.

He sat in the living room for the next several hours, reliving what happened. I can't lose her, he says out loud. He takes another sip of his scotch, and looks down at his watch, again.

11:17 pm. He's getting more nervous.

1:42 am. He hears her key slide into the lock, and he's on his feet immediately.

"Liv", he starts. "I …", but she holds up his hand, stopping him from talking.

"Stop. Don't say anything. Let me talk."

His heart sinks.

"Fitz", when you brought me to your home – "

"Our home", he interjects, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"When I came to your home, I was broken. I didn't know what my next steps were going to be – where I was going. But I knew I couldn't live that life any more. When you saw me at the restaurant, I was leaving. I was on my way out the door."

"I know", he says softly, with that puppy dog face and the saddest blue eyes.

She can't finish talking if she keeps looking into his face. So, she walks to the windows and stares out at the city below her.

"I was scared, Fitz", she said softly. "More scared than I've been since …. But you saved me. And you were kind and understanding. Hell you're still kind and understanding. I know I don't tell you a lot about my past - "

"I don't need to know. I don't want to know", he says, walking toward her.

"You have the right to know, Fitz. You taught me how to trust again – to see a different kind of life."

His heart is breaking for her, for them. Tears fill their eyes.

"You were patient with me and I was nothing more than a stranger. You allowed me to live in your home. I hadn't been used to that kind of treatment in a very long time", she begins to walk toward him, but keeps her distance.

"You're a good man, Fitz. And I am so sorry that I disrespected you the way I did."

"Liv", he wants to hold her but stays his distance.

"I'm sorry, Fitz. I'm sorry for working with Cyrus behind your back. I just want the best for you", she said, tears now streaming down her face. "I don't ever want to be the reason why you don't fulfill your dreams. I don't ever want you to wake up one day and look at me with regret. I couldn't stand it, Fitz. That would kill me, more than anything I've been through."

In two steps he was across the room, kissing her tears away, holding her close.

"I'm sorry", he says again, stepping back and looking at her.

She nods her head.

"But, Liv, you have to start opening up to me. I need to know what you're feeling – what you're thinking. We need to make decisions together. We're the only team here. Not Cyrus. Not … anyone else. It's just you and me. OK?"

"OK."

And, Liv, I don't want to have to guess about us. I don't expect you to change overnight, but I need to know that you are going to make an effort to open up. I have enough love for the both of us, but sometimes I need to hear that you love me too. I know you do – I just need to hear you say it first sometimes."

She nods.

She begins unbuttoning his shirt, kissing down his chest, breathing in his scent. She loves the way he smells. She licks a nipple, then takes it into her mouth. He moans long and deep. He begins to pull her sweater over her head, tossing it aside. Kissing down his chest, she reaches down and unbuckles his belt, his pants drop to the floor. He slides down the zipper on the side of her pants and glides them over her bottom and down her thighs. He kisses her deeply, his tongue requesting entry into her mouth. She opens her mouth for him, her Fitz. She steps away from her pants to get closer to him. They quickly remove the remainder of their clothing, standing face to face, completely naked. They are now completely exposed, all barriers removed.

They are two new lovers, unfamiliar with the landscape of each other's body. There is a bit of hesitancy - shyness, mixed with desire and expectancy. While they have been sharing intimate moments over the past few months, they know this is different. All barriers removed, they take their time exploring each other with their hands - their mouths; beginning to discover what each likes, and more important, does not like. No instruction manual can provide this kind of intimate information. The lovers must discover the new territory together. There is no urgency.

Fitz wanted to know every part of her - to taste every part of her. So he slowly licks and kisses everywhere, lifting, twisting, and turning her to gain access.

He learns she likes when he licks her breasts, but doesn't like them sucked too hard. He found the sensitive spot between her neck and collar bone. She likes when he flips her onto her stomach and glides his tongue down her spine. He learned to gently restrain her when he kisses and licks circles on her bottom and trails his tongue down the backs of her thighs. She's not interested in having her toes sucked, and neither is he.

She kisses and tongues him, gently grazing his scalp with her finger nails. He likes when she massages his scalp with her nails because his ears turn bright red and he moans deeply. And when she sucks his ear lobes he kisses her deeply in kind, with such passion. He loves when her petite hand strokes him when he's hard. God, he can stay like this forever, he thinks. She wraps her legs around him and runs her feet up the backs of his thighs, and onto his rear. She draws lazy circles on his bottom with her feet, and he moans. He likes this too.

Both bodies are now mapped completely by the lovers. They now know each other's sensitive spots. The ticklish spots. Both are tingling with anticipation.

His member is now fully engorged – glistening - veins displaying prominently. Her essence seeps from her channel, down the inside of her thighs, and onto the sheets.

The exploring is done. She spreads her legs wide, her invitation to him. He's now on his knees, slipping slowly into her, inch by inch. She moans softly, throwing back her head, sucking in air as he continues to enter her. Fully seated, he lay on top of her, stretching her arms above her head, and intertwining their fingers. He buries his face into her neck and begins to grind. Her walls clamp around him and the dance to ecstasy begins.

"My god, Liv. You feel so good."

Opening her legs even wider, she beckons him to rub the base of his member onto her bud while he continues to pump.

"Fitz, it feels so good." Right there baby. Right there."

Feet planted flatly, she raises her bottom from the bed, encouraging him to go deeper. He sits up on his knees, grabs her bottom with both hands, and locks her to him. He now controls the pace.

Perfect.

"Yes. Yes. Just like that, Fitz. Just like that. Oh my god, you feel so good", she moans while holding onto his forearms.

"Is this how you like it, Livvie?"

"Yes. Yes. Oh, God, yes.

Fingers no longer intertwined, she roams her fingers through his hair. And, he pumps harder and harder until she screams with pleasure.

His lean body stretches on top of hers and he continues to pump, not wanting this feeling to ever end. It feels too good - so over-whelming. He swirls his hips, trying go deeper, wanting to give all of himself to her – only her. She lets out another high-pitch scream and her walls twitch around him. Forehead to forehead, he continues stroking long and hard, sweat dripping from his forehead onto her hers. One last stroke and he stiffens, letting out a deep guttural sound as he releases his undying love into her. As the last of his seed flows from him, he continues to grind into her, savoring the last of his orgasm.

She collapses back onto the bed and he slumps atop her, both breathing erratically, unable to speak. They burst into laughter, apparently precipitated by the serotonin flooding through their systems. They're tingling. They're spent.

They don't know how long they stayed like that, on the soaked sheets, exhausted – bodies stuck together by saliva, sweat, and love juices.

"Fitz", she purrs, running her hands up and down his back and along his sides.

"I can't move", he says lazily, still in a haze. "I have lost all use of my muscles."

"Fitz", she says smiling, placing kisses on the mole on his right shoulder, while lightly swatting his bottom. "Babe, you are literally crushing me. You weigh - what - like 180 pounds?"

Fitz finally rolls off Olivia and onto his back; the cool air now wafting over them, causing goose bumps.

"I'm getting cold, Fitz."

"Literally cannot move, babe", he says grinning. "Can. Not. Move."

She rolls her eyes at him playfully, pulls the covers over them, and snuggles into his side.

Sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

He thinks he's the luckiest man in the world as he sits on his sofa with his beautiful girlfriend straddling him and wearing nothing but one of his oversized, white, V-neck tee shirts.

"Mmmm", he moans as she sucks and nibbles on his ear lobes.

She grazes his scalp with her recently manicured nails and kisses him passionately on the lips. She moves to his throat, licking his Adam's apple. She begins to grind slowly against him, getting lost in the glorious feeling the rough fabric of his jeans is stirring.

"Oh, Fitz."

He loves when she wears his clothes, especially his white tees. The contrast of the shirt against her caramel skin always turns him on. He begins kissing her neck while smoothing his hands up and down her thighs, happy she's not wearing underwear. He grabs hold of her bottom and glides her up and down his growing erection growing.

"Fitz."

"I think you're trying to distract me, Livvie."

"Not at all", continuing to grind and assault his lips.

"Then tell me again", he whispers in her ear while helping her grind into his jeans.

She moves up to grind on his stomach, her foot kicking the stack of papers he let fall onto the sofa.

"Tell me. I love when you say it", his hands roaming up and down her back.

"You mean like right now?" She says panting, getting closer to her goal.

"Like right now. You have to be ready", he says hoarsely.

"Fitz, I'm so ..."

"Olivia."

Well that did it. He using her full name was like being doused unexpectedly with a bucket of cold water on a hot July day in Philly. The moment is officially ruined.

"You don't play fair!" She whines while rolling off him and pulling her legs up to her chest - sulking.

"And neither do you, Miss Pope", grinning broadly, his hair now a complete mess.

Leaning down he picks up the wrinkled papers from the floor.

"We agreed we would use this evening prepping you for your meeting with the investors."

She rolls her eyes and snatches the pages from his hand, standing from the sofa.

"And you better wipe that smirk from your face, mister."

"Yes, ma'am", failing to suppress his laugh.

 **Flashback**

"Babe, how's your morning going?" pacing in circles in front of the massive windows in their living room. It was a bright, sunny day that belied the calendar - November.

"Just fine", shuffling papers and folders around on his desk. "What's up?" He asks distractedly, looking for the Kingston file. " _Shit_!"

"Babe, are you okay? You sound frustrated."

"I can't find the Kingston file and I have a meeting in like 25 minutes."

"Did you ask Lauren? She usually has everything in order before your meetings."

"Right. Hold on a sec. Lauren, have you seen the Kingston file?"

"Here it is, Mr. Grant", Lauren now standing in the doorway with the file and all the other documents he needs for his upcoming meeting.

"Lauren, you' are a godsend", he smiles, extending his hand to take the materials.

Lauren's smiles kindly and backs out of the doorway to return to the mountain of work before her. Things are really heating up around her she reflects.

"You owe Lauren a big cash bonus." She makes a note to remind him to give Lauren a bonus. She also thinks she needs to get Lauren a really nice birthday present.

"I do. Is everything okay, Liv?"

"I'm good. I'm fine. Everything is fine."

He stops flipping through file and looks up. He knows when she says everything is good and fine, she is anything but.

"Liv … ?"

"Well ... " she says quickly. "What are you doing for lunch today? Are you available for lunch? It sounds like you're having a hectic day."

"Well, the Kingston meeting is scheduled to wrap up around 11, so yes, we can have lunch. Any place in particular?"

"I was thinking about that sushi place down on Bleecher? The one we love so much. It's halfway between home and your office."

Silence.

I hate sushi he thinks. I only go there because she likes it. I'll have to get Lauren to order me a sandwich to eat for lunch when I get back from lunch. He shakes his head.

"Fitz, does that work for you? I really have a taste for some good sushi, and you know they have the best."

He can hear her smiling so he smiles.

"Sushi it is. I'll see you there at noon. Love you, babe."

"Love you, too."

"Lauren, after the Kingston meeting I'm going to meet Liv for lunch. Can you order me a turkey club for when I return?"

"Didn't you just say you were having lunch with Miss Pope?" Looking confused.

"Sushi", giving Lauren a pained look.

Lauren smiles and makes a note to order Mr. Grant's lunch.

The Kingston meeting ran 15 minutes over. He couldn't seem to get people to speak faster. Normally he wouldn't care if a meeting went over the allotted time because this gave him the opportunity to gain deeper insight into the team members' personalities.

He tried calling Olivia twice: once after leaving the meeting and the next time while driving to the restaurant. He was 30 minutes late by the time he arrived at the restaurant. They both despise tardiness.

Spotting her sitting at a table near a window with the sun lighting her face, he thinks she's the most beautiful women in the world. He hustles over to her, breathing heavily.

"My god, Fitz, you look awful. What's wrong?"

Panting hard with a sheen of sweat on his nose and forehead, he catches his breath before attempting to speak. He pulls off his coat, and slides into the seat across from her.

"The Kingston meeting ran over and traffic is horrendous. I tried calling. Why didn't you pick up?"

"Drink some water. You're sweating profusely. I forgot my phone on the island this morning after we finished talking."

"Liv ..."

"I know. I know. It won't happen again. By the way, I understand meetings don't end on schedule so you didn't have to hurry. I don't want you having a heart attack", she smiles.

Beginning to calm down, he takes another sip of the now room temperature water from the sweating glass.

"Actually, I've only been here about - - " looking down at her watch, "about five minutes", and begins to dig into her large purse.

"Now I don't feel so bad about you waiting for me."

He always wondered why she needed to carry such a large purse. What kinds of treasures are in there?

"I stopped to get you a turkey club because I know you hate sushi", smiling while handing him the white sandwich bag.

"Don't think I didn't notice how you got quiet when I suggested sushi."

They both smile.

So he begins, "While I always enjoy having lunch with my beautiful girlfriend, you have something on your mind. What's going on, Livvie?"

"Well", starting slowly and twisting the ring on her right hand. "You know how we've been discussing my next steps - my career?"

He nods, encouraging her to continue.

"Well, I have an idea. I think I know what I want to do."

Not wanting to interrupt her, he nods again, and takes a bite out of his sandwich.

"Fitz, I really enjoyed being an entertainment lawyer. As a matter of fact, I loved it."

He tries to control his reaction, but she knows him so well. His body is rigid and his eyes begin the transition from the color of the day's sky to that of the night. He reaches for the glass and takes another sip. He needs to do something with his hands. Playing with her napkin and holding her breath, she continues.

"Of course I have no interest in doing exactly what I was doing before - something slightly different."

He nods again.

"Well, Fitz - I was, I am thinking about opening a talent management company, specializing in unique, untapped talent - the kind you might find on the Internet, YouTube. I think there is a market for providing young, fresh talent the infrastructure and support they need to extend beyond the Internet - help them to become visible on multiple platforms. The millenials and GenXers have a lot of untapped talent out there. They just need someone who can provide them the support without being encumbered by big entertainment companies. They don't want any part of that."

She sits back waiting for him to say something.

Her idea sounds interesting, but he would need more details, of course. His ears perked up when she mentioned the millenials and GenXers. It reminded him of his conversation with Diane Barker about the changing demographics at The Beene Group.

"Say something, Fitz."

He's in full business mode now.

"Well, on the surface it sounds like a potential business model, especially with the changing demographics and how young people prefer to create and consume content – music in this case. You're right, they don't want to deal with the bureaucracy associated with the mega entertainment companies."

"So you think it's a good idea", smiling excitedly.

"I said that it sounds like a _potential_ business model. There is so much more research that needs to be done, so many more considerations like where are you going to get the start-up funds? How are you going to establish a pipeline of talent? So much to consider, Livvie."

" I know, that's why I have my smart, businessman boyfriend around to help me figure it all out", smiling brightly.

"Mr. Grant, here is your lunch", reaching behind her desk and into the credenza that holds the mini refrigerator.

"Give it to someone else, Lauren. Liv brought me a sandwich."

Lauren smiles. "She sounds like a keeper, Mr. Grant."

She is indeed, he smiles going into his office.

"I love our time together like this" rolling her head on his chest while the warm lavender-scented water wafts around them, and Roy Ayers plays softly in the background.

"Me too."

"What song is this playing, I can't remember?"

"It's called _You Send Me_. Don't you remember when we first heard it?"

"I do", she says dreamily. "I just couldn't remember the title."

He's engaged in his favorite, well almost favorite activity, massaging her breasts and sucking on her neck.

"Turn around."

She straddles him and wraps her arms around his neck, smiling into his eyes. He kisses her soundly on the lips then begins to suck her breasts. He loves kissing her. Through kisses he asks, "You really want to do this, start a talent management business for young entertainers?"

"Only if you think it makes sense, if it's a good business model", she smiles.

"Well, Livvie, there is a degree of risk in every business venture. There are no certainties."

She loves when gets all business-like.

He reaches his hand in the space between them and begins to stroke her special place.

"There's a lot of research that needs to be done. And, as I said earlier, obtaining funding is going to be critical."

"Mmmm. I know. I have some savings."

"You don't want to use your savings to fund a start-up. That's what venture capitalists are for. Use other people's money to fund your ideas."

"I see. So you think it's a good idea?" She begins to ride his fingers more vigorously.

"I think it's a _good_ idea to draft a business plan – do all the research. You'll have to present a business plan to potential investors to show the feasibility of your idea."

"OK. Can you help me with that?" Now finding it difficult to speak.

"I would love to help my girlfriend create a business plan."

"I love you, Fitz, so much."

He smiles.

"Enough about business. Slide down on me. I want to make love to my girlfriend."

"Cyrus, would you like to move into my office? It seems that whenever I come here you're here."

Cyrus waves his hand dismissively.

"Fitzgerald, we're having problems in our UK offices. Not sure how serious they are but they have the potential to get messy."

"What kinds of problems? I've not heard anything about problems in the UK offices."

"Not sure of all the details, but Thacker has some ideas on how to handle them. Give him a call and work out all of the details. You've been talking about visiting our international offices anyway – well here is your opportunity."

"That's correct, but I wasn't planning a trip until next year, preferably when it's warmer", he smiles.

"Well, I think we need to push up your visit, at least to our London offices."

"OK. When do I need to leave?"

"Talk with Thacker, then have Lauren make your travel arrangements."

"OK."

Papers are strewn all over their home office desk. Two laptops and an iPad are amongst the pile. Fitz walks into the apartment and sees the mess before him and wonders what's going on.

"Liv?"

Silence

He throws his suit jacket across the sofa and walks down the hall to their bedroom, unbuttoning his shirt at the collar and removing his tie.

"Liv, are you in here?" He walks through the bedroom and into the bathroom and begins to smile.

"Getting started without me I see", smiling brightly.

Silence.

He walks over to the tub and sits on the edge, planting a kiss on her forehead.

Silence.

"Liv?"

He lifts her chin with his left hand to look into her eyes, evidence of tears on her face.

"Livvie, what's the matter? What's wrong?"

"This is too hard, Fitz."

He's panicking again.

"What's too hard, babe?" Cupping the side of her face.

"Creating a business plan. It's so hard. I really don't know where to begin. I've never had to create a plan to start a new business."

He's smiling – relieved. "Oh, Livvie. I told you I would help you with that."

"I know, but you're so busy at work, and I just wanted to get started on my own."

"Well, can you get out of the tub? I have something to show you."

She nods her head.

Fitz heads to the bedroom and changes into more comfortable clothes. He goes to the living room and pours himself a drink, grabs his briefcase, and sets it on the coffee table. Olivia appears in the living shortly thereafter, wearing black yoga pants and a white camisole. He extends his hand to her, inviting her to join him on the sofa. He kisses her on the check.

"Are you okay?" She nods, looking down at her hands.

"I was just feeling a bit overwhelmed", looking over at the piles on the desk.

He pats his thigh, prompting her to sit on his lap.

"I have something for you", he smiles, while reaching to open his briefcase.

She looks at him curiously. He pulls out a folder and hands it to her.

"What's this?"

"Open it."

Her eyes bulge. It was a draft copy of the initial market research for her business idea.

"Fitz."

"It's just the initial research, but it's good."

"Fitz", she says touching her lips.

"Read through it and tell me what you think."

"When did you have time to do all of this?"

"I didn't. I hired a research firm and gave them your requirements. I added a few of my own."

"Oh, Fitz", tears now streaming down her face.

"I couldn't very well use Beene resources to do the research. A conflict of interest, and just not appropriate."

"Oh, Fitz", she says, showering him with kisses.

His stomach begins to growl.

"I'm sorry. I was so caught up in researching, I forgot to cook.

"Chinese", they say in unison.

"Babe", he says through mouthfuls of Moo Goo Gai Pan. "I have to go to London, apparently there are some issues in our offices there that require my attention."

She nods her head slowly.

He continued to devour his food. She can never understand how this man can continue to eat like there is no tomorrow after he has dropped a bombshell on her. She shakes her head.

"So, I was thinking …", digging into the food with his chopsticks. "I was thinking that you should join me. We can turn it into a vacation, after business is done of course. Perhaps catch a flight to Paris?"

"That sounds lovely, Fitz. But what about the business plan?"

"Babe", taking a sip of his beer. "Technology allows people to work from anywhere. You don't need to be in this apartment to do the work."

"I guess you're right."

"So that's a yes?"

"Yes. I'll go to London and Paris with you."

To say that Cyrus was livid is an understatement. He thought creating fabricating a situation in their London offices was the perfect way to get Fitz away from Olivia Pope.

"Cyrus, my reservation are made and I'll be leaving for London on Saturday."

"Great. Great."

"Liv will be joining me so when I wrap up things with Thacker we're going to spend a few days in Paris."

"What?"

"Liv is working on a project, but she can work on it from anywhere. So she's coming with me. She'll work on her project while I'm in meetings with Thacker, maybe take in some of the sights during the day. She's not been to London."

Cyrus is fuming.

"Cy, are you okay? Is everything all right?"

"Fine. Fine. Everything is fine."

Fitz wonders where he has heard that before.

Cyrus has been sitting on Damien's sofa for the past hour waiting for him to exit his bedroom. I can't stand this shit, he thinks, when a naked woman walks past him on her way to god knows where. She glances at Cyrus and winks. Tapping his fingers on the arm of the sofa , he looks at the young woman and says, "Not even remotely interested. Not my type."

A shirtless Damien enters the living room.

"You want to hit that old man? You can have her any way and however you want her. You know what I mean? He said while reaching for a joint on the glass cocktail table. He lights it, sits down, and props his feet on the table.

I'm too old for all of this shit Cyrus thinks.

"Damien, we have to talk."

"Talk, old man. I'm listening", he says dragging on his joint.

"The tour starts soon, Damien. Are you going to be ready?"

"I ain't decided yet. I'm still thinking about it", exhaling the smoke.

"What do you mean you're still thinking about it?"

Cyrus is beginning to get angry. He shouldn't have to deal with temperamental entertainers – mollify them. This is the kind of thing he had to deal with 20 years ago. He babysat and coddled too many of these short-lived bastards. Can't stand any of them. He's now worked up.

Damien walks to the bar and pours himself a drink.

"You want some of this old man?" Holding and shaking the decanter.

"A little too early for me I'm afraid."

"Damien, all of the venues have been sold out – the US, Europe, Asia. A no-show is not an option at this point", trying to remain calm.

"Well, it just might need to be a fuckin' option at this point. I'm the fuckin' fat lady."

Idiots, fucking idiots. I'm surrounded by idiots, Cyrus thinks.

"Damien, too much is at stake to think about pulling out this late in the game. Too many people have too much money on the line."

"I don't give a shit about those fuckin' people. I'm Damien Lord. Tell 'em Damien Lord wants a new contract. Yeh, that's right, a new contract that's what I want. That fuckin' Olivia fucked up my contract. I want a new one or I ain't goin' nowhere. By the way, if you see her, tell her she got a good ass whiippin' coming. She know Damien don't play this shit."

Cyrus is livid - ready to explode.

"Damien, you do not want to disappoint the sponsors and promoters of this tour. These are very, very important people who won't take kindly to losing millions of dollars because a punk ass, ignorant, motherfucker can't get on a fucking plane without the women he's been abusing. The woman who has been the brains behind this goddamn circus."

"Who you think you talking to, you old …?"

"Shut. Up. Shut your stupid mouth. You don't talk any more", walking towards Damien.

Damien's eyes widened.

"You may have gotten away with beating Olivia Pope, but the people behind this tour – well, you don't want to mess with them. And …" Cyrus nose to nose with Damien, "You don't want to fucking mess this old man if you're smart."

"And, put that shit out. I'm tired of smelling."

Damien nervously extinguished the joint.

"I've let you get away with a lot of shit but it all stops now! I'm retiring soon and your backwoods ass will not ruin my reputation in this business. So I'm going to tell you how all this is going to go down. You're going to pack your bags and your whore and you're going to be ready when it's time to board that plane. Damien, if you think about not showing up, you can say good-bye to this life. Do you understand me?"

Damien's eyes are as wide as saucers. He nods yes. He heard Cyrus used to be a monster back in the day.

"Remember, Damien Lord does not exist without Cyrus Beene."

Cyrus dabs his forehead with his handkerchief, straightens his neck tie, and walks to the front door.

"And Damien – Olivia Pope – she's dead to you. I don't know where she is, but if I hear about you trying to find her – well – you know what this old man is capable of doing."

Once in the elevator heading downstairs, Cyrus burst out laughing. This was the most fun he's had in a long time.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"How do I look, babe?"

"Turn around. Let me see."

"Fitz, be good. Really, how do I look? Do you think this dress is appropriate? Should I change into something else? I want to make a good impression on your best friend and his wife. What's her name again?"

"Abby. Her name is Abby", coming behind her and snaking his arms around her waist, nuzzling his face into her neck, and breathing in the scent that is unmistakably her.

"You look great. The dress is great. If I love you then everyone else will love you. However, I wouldn't be opposed to helping you change that dress if you want", smiling mischievously.

"You should ring the bell."

"Not until I finish making out with my fiancée."

"I love the sound of that."

"Oh, my God", Abby screams when she opened the door and found Fitz and his girlfriend engaged in a very hot make-out session, tongue and all. Damn, she thinks, Leo hasn't given me tongue, anywhere, in ages.

Not realizing he'd pushed Olivia against the doorbell, Fitz was making love to Olivia's mouth on the front steps of his best friend's house. He turns around smiling with an embarrassed Olivia standing beside him.

"Hi, Abby", grinning ear to ear.

"Get in here Fitzgerald and get your girlfriend out of the cold."

"Abby, this is Olivia. Olivia - Abby", Fitz says helping Olivia out of her coat.

"My apologies, Abby. This is no way for me to make a good first impression."

"No need to apologize. At least somebody's getting some", winking at Liv.

"Come on into the living room", Leo is in the kitchen finishing the egg nog.

"You have a lovely home, Abby. I love the high ceilings and the wainscoting."

"Thank you. I'll give you a tour later."

"I'd like that."

"I almost forgot", Liv said handing Abby a small gift bag. "This is for you and Leo. We wanted to get you a little something for allowing us to share the holiday with you."

"Thanks, but that was not necessary, but I'll take it any way." Abby smiled, grabbed the bag, and placed it on a corner table. The husband and I will check it out later."

"I told Liv it wasn't necessary, but she insisted. She dragged me all over town to find it", stuffing an hors d'oeuvres into his mouth."

"Not true", giving him a slight nudge.

"Sit, please. What can I get you to drink, Olivia? I already know what you want, Fitzgerald", sticking out her tongue at him.

"I'll have red wine, please."

"And make sure it's your best Cabernet", clearly enjoying poking fun at Abby.

She was enjoying seeing Fitz be relaxed and playful since they've been in a stressful situation for the last few months.

"Here you go, Olivia. Fitzgerald, your Scotch."

"Thanks, Abbs."

"Did Leo have to milk the cow before making the egg nog?"

"No, Leo didn't have to milk the cow", he chimed, entering with a carafe of egg nog on a silver tray. He places the tray on a side table similar to the one where Abby set the gift bag. Leo prides himself on making what he thinks is the best non-alcoholic egg nog ever.

Fitz stands to greet his friend. The two men hug, shooting barbs at each other. Liv smiles, admiring them. _So this is Leo, she thinks._

"Leo, this is Olivia, my fiancée", Fitz smiles proudly.

"Fiancée?" Abby jumps in. "Leo didn't tell me you two are engaged!"

"That's because Leo didn't know, honey. The last time this sly dog and I talked they were still dating. Come here Olivia and give me a hug. Olivia stands and walks into Leo's open arms.

"Congratulations, to both of you. Now this is cause for celebration. Egg nog for everyone!"

Abby rolls her eyes. "So when did it happen? How long have you been engaged?"

 **Flashback**

"Liv, my meetings with Thacker should be over around three today. Are you going to be okay until then?"

"Babe, I've got a lot to keep me busy. I'll review all the wonderful research you gave me", wrapping her arms around him. "Don't worry. Figure out what's going on with Thacker. OK?"

"OK", planting a kiss on her. "I love you so much."

"I love you too. Now go."

"If there's anything you want to do or see before we leave for Paris tomorrow, let me know and I'll make the arrangements."

"OK."

"Thacker, I've really enjoyed visiting our London offices. You have a terrific team here - a nice diverse group."

"Well, Mr. Grant, we pride ourselves on bringing in the best people who can help us to be successful."

"That's terrific. Really glad to hear that."

"While I'd planned to visit all of our European offices next year, I fast-tracked this trip because of the problems Cyrus said you were having. But for the life of me I can't seem to find any problems here. Is there something I'm missing?"

"I assure you, Mr. Grant, we run an efficient operation here. Costs are under control and we are under budget for this fiscal year. I hope you don't think I've been shielding anything from you?"

"No, no, no, Thacker. Not at all. Cyrus indicated you had some urgent matters here that required support from headquarters."

"I think there must be a misunderstanding, sir. I don't know what Mr. Beene could possibly be referring to. I spoke with Mr. Beene two - three weeks ago, but we discussed nothing of the sort. He said you wanted to evaluate our London offices before you assumed the leadership of the company. By the way, congratulations on your new position, sir."

"Thank you, Thacker, but I've not taken control yet. Cyrus Beene is still in charge."

"I see. I see. Although I rarely have any contact with Mr. Beene, Miss Barker and I speak frequently – video-conference mostly."

"Video-conference?"

"Considering the time difference, Miss Barker and I thought, at times, the optimal way for us to communicate is through video-conferencing. Each of us is willing to adjust our personal schedules to participate in these meetings. It's such an efficient way to communicate. We save the company significant funds by not flying back and forth across the pond. It also allows us to keep our family lives intact. My husband would be horrified if I had to fly to the States as often as Miss Barker and I meet. Also, we get the opportunity to see what each other looks like, although we're not always at our best - gives us a chance to read each other's body language as well."

"Yes, Miss Barker and I have been in frequent contact, especially during the implementation of our Diversity Program. I hope my work is not under scrutiny, sir?"

"Not at all, Thacker, you're doing an excellent job. Perhaps Cyrus confused the London office with another office."

They decided to have dinner in the hotel dining room because they had an early flight to Paris in the morning.

"Liv, for the life of me I can't understand what's going here."

"Was Thacker not forthcoming?"

The waiter comes over with another menu in his hand.

"Sir, Madame, can I interest you in one of our wonderful desserts this evening? All specialties of the chef."

They look at each other and smile.

"Yes", they say in unison.

"Quite the contrary, Thacker was quite open - transparent actually. He's running an efficient and progressive operation. There doesn't seem to be any urgent problems that necessitated my coming here before next year."

"Do you think Cyrus got it wrong - that he's getting confused?"

Fitz looked at her with raised eyebrows, knowing what she is alluding to.

"Something just isn't right here Liv. I told you how I thought Cyrus was acting strange before we left? I need to get to the bottom of this when we get back home.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out", taking a spoonful of the delicious dessert.

"So, how was your day? What did you do?"

"I had a fantastic day!" Brimming with excitement.

"Wow. This is really good. We have to send our compliments to the chef. So, what did you do that has you ready to burst?"

"Well", she begins sitting up straight. "After I read through some of the research my head started spinning, Fitz. So much data."

He smiles.

"So I took a walk through the arts district. Did you know London has a booming artists' community - all genres, especially music?"

"No, I didn't know that", scooping up the remnants of his dessert.

"Well, I stopped in several shops and cafés and talked to a lot of people. They told me about the new music that's being made and the different avenues that are being used to give people access to fresh talent, not just the stuff corporations want us to hear. I talked with several musicians playing on street corners and asked if they would be interested in the kind of support I want to offer. Some gave me a flat out 'no' while I exchanged contact information with a few: Christian, Megan, Davi, and a few others."

"Wow. You did all of that in one day?"

"I did", beaming proudly.

"I know we said no business while in Paris, but maybe we should try to find a similar community there and talk to musicians. This could be the start of your pipeline."

"Can we?" Ready to combust.

"Anything for you, baby", lifting her hand and kissing it.

November wasn't the best time to visit Paris, that's why he wanted to wait until next spring to schedule his trips to the European offices. They visited all of the traditional tourist sites in the first few days, then spent the last couple of days visiting various artists' communities. Like in London, they got the names of several musicians and promised to be in contact.

"Wow. I can't believe our two weeks are up - that we fly home tomorrow – she says as they sip espresso at the small cafe.

"Me either, but we have to come back when the weather is nicer."

"Definitely. Fitz?"

"Hmmm?" digging into his wallet to get money to pay the bill.

"Fitz, I'm getting cold."

He smiles. He loves when she says that. "OK, let's make one more stop on our way back to the hotel."

"Wow, Fitz. I can't believe you're buying more of this stuff. We have so much at home." She's beginning to wonder if he is addicted.

"It's not French", he smiles and she rolls her eyes.

He knew he needed to kill at least another 30 minutes to give the hotel staff enough time to finish decorating their suite. They were to text him when everything was ready. So he bought more jam than anyone would ever need. He would have to give some to Lauren.

"Fitz", she gasped when he opened the door to their suite and saw the room decorated with flowers, lighted candles, and soft music playing.

"Fitz. What's going on? When did you do all of this?"

"This is our last night in the City of Lovers so I wanted to make it special for you. Do you like?"

"I like, and I love you. You treat me so well, Fitz."

Sliding his jacket down his arms she kisses his neck and sucks on his ear lobes. She unbuttons and removes his shirt. Unbuckling his pants, she reaches her hands inside the waistband of his boxers and slides pants and boxers down all at once. He steps out of his pants, naked as the day he was born. She discards her clothes as well and resumes kissing his face and neck. He's shivering with anticipation.

"Let me make love to you, Fitz. Can I make love to you?"

Unable to speak, he nods yes when she begins to stroke his growing member. She strokes him from the base to the tip.

"Liv ..."

"Shhhh", she kisses him, rubbing her tongue against the seam of his lips. She makes love to his mouth and continues massaging his dripping member. She walks him back to the bed and pushes him down gently. He grabs the back of her neck and kisses her like a mad man.

"Let me."

He nods. Dark and stormy eyes alit by the flickering candles.

She kisses down his neck, to his chest. She captures his left nipple in her mouth, licking and sucking. He presses her head so her lips are firm against his nipple, encouraging her to bite and suck harder. She moves to his right nipple and he begins to moan louder, squirming on top of the smooth, down-filled comforter.

She continues kissing down his torso, rubbing and twisting his nipples while licking circles around his taut stomach. She slides down slowly, allowing her breasts to graze every inch along the path until her face is aligned with his throbbing member. She strokes him again, spreading his juices along his length. He spreads his legs wider, his sac rubbing against the cool fabric, causing him to squirm more. He runs his hands through her hair as she continues to pump, coating her hand with his juices.

"Can I?" She asks, looking up at him with so much love and desire. His eyes are closed and his flesh feels like it's on fire. A light sheen of sweat covers his body.

"Livvie ..." moaning as she strokes his sac, his member now standing at attention.

"Can I?"

"Yes. Yes", barely above a whisper.

"Oh, my god", he moans. One would think he was being tortured.

Her hot, wet mouth wrapped around him and it felt glorious. She took him in fully and began to bob her head up and down, sending him into a frenzy. He slides to the bottom edge of the bed and she to the floor on her knees. He rises up on his arms watching her use her wonderful mouth to love him. She stretches her arms to caress his abs and he intertwines his fingers with hers. He opens his legs wider and begins to pump.

"Oh my god."

He pulls her head closer and begins to thrust in the most wonderful rhythm. He wants this feeling to last forever. He's getting close and her mouth is unrelenting. She slides her mouth to his tip, flattens her tongue, causing him to scream to the heavens.

"Come to me, Livvie. I need to be inside of you." He pulls her onto the bed and climbs on top of her.

"I love you, Livvie -", thrusting deep into her. She clamps down and he goes to work. Face buried in her neck he strokes long and hard. She spreads her legs wider and he goes deeper.

"Oh my god, Fitz."

"Do you like it? Does it feel good, baby?"

Unable to speak, she nods her head violently.

He pulls out and strokes her nub with the head of his stiff rod and she squirms wildly. He plunges back into her and she wraps her legs around his and they find the most exquisite rhythm. Then he hits it and she screams in pleasure. He leans on his left side and angles himself so her slick walls massage him. He throws his head back in complete ecstasy and continues to pump. He loves this angle.

"So fucking good, Livvie. So fucking good."

She kisses, bites, and sucks his shoulder while he enjoys the pace. He's no longer in this world. He's far, far away yet still connected with her. He comes hard. Mouth hanging open, he stiffens, shooting his juices deep into her. He continues grinding slowly, relishing the waning pleasure of his orgasm, as he floats back to this plane. He kisses her deeply, slides out, and rolls onto his back.

Panting heavily they smile stupidly at each other; completely fulfilled and in love. After they recover, he turns onto his side to her and strokes her face tenderly.

"I love you, Livvie - so much - more than anything in this world. I. Love. You." He says, looking past her eyes and deep into her soul. They stare at each other for what seems like a life time, sharing small pecks and nips. He kisses her face - licking and sucking on her ear, desire rising again. He whispers.

"Marry me, Livvie."

She gasps and tears begin to stream down her face, into his hand. She's smiling at him, unable to speak because that's what he does to her. He literally takes her breath away. After a moment she regains her breath.

"Oui'."

Fitz enters Cyrus' office and sits in one of the uncomfortable chairs in front of the desk.

"Hello, Fitzgerald. When did you get back?"

"We got back last night." Cyrus lips twitch.

"Good, good. So how are things in our London offices?"

"The London offices are doing fine, Cy. They're being managed quite efficiently. Thacker is a very competent leader. As a matter of fact, he has implemented several innovative practices and has been working closely with Diane Barker here in the States. The staff seems to love him.

"Good, good. Glad we have a good person in charge over there."

"That's just it ..."

"What?" He asks curiously.

"Thacker is running things so well - expenses are below budget and innovative practices have been implemented, which has made the staff more productive and happy."

"That all sounds terrific, Fitz." Cyrus begins to rise to go to his next meeting.

"Why did you want me to go to the London offices if things are going so well, Cy? I'd planned to visit our international offices next year. We discussed that. This all seemed so rushed."

"Thacker gave me the impression support from headquarters was needed expeditiously."

"Well, it seems like the wires got crossed somewhere along the way."

Cyrus eyes Fitz closely.

"If you don't mind, Fitz, I've got another meeting to get to shortly."

"Of course. By the way, the trip wasn't a total loss because I got to see firsthand the London operations and meet some very talented people."

"That's terrific, Fitz."

"And", smiling broadly, "I got engaged. I asked Olivia to marry me. And she said _yes_.

"You what?"

"I'm engaged to be married, Cy. I asked Liv to marry me while we were in Paris."

The blood rushes to Cyrus' head so quickly his face is crimson and his inner ears feel like waves crashing against the rocks."

"Are you fucking crazy?"

Fitz is stunned by Cyrus' response.

"Cy, I know you're concerned about the Damien - "

"I don't give a damn about that dumb bastard", now pacing around the room."

"I tried to send you away from her and you end up proposing to her. Are you a lunatic?"

"So the London trip was fabricated after all?"

"Fitzgerald, you're being a fool. She's playing you. She knows your family background - that you come from money. She knows you're ready to assume the leadership of this company. She's going to take you for everything. You don't have to marry her. Men like you don't marry -"

"Shut. Your. Fucking. Mouth before I shut it for you."

The old man's eyes are bulging.

"I told you never to speak of Olivia like that again in my presence. But you continue to disrespect me and the woman I love, the woman I want - I'm going to spend the rest of my life with. You don't know her. You don't know her at all. You're being a racist bigot and I will not stand for it. You don't ever have to like Olivia. I'm sure she won't lose any sleep over it. She has only been nice and kind to you. And you say these ugly, horrible things, Cyrus. The world has changed, and thank god it has because if things were the way they used to be I would never have met the love of my life."

"What about that other girl you were dating for awhile – the one with the big hair? She's more suitable don't you think?"

"I love her, Cy, and there isn't anything you can do about it. Hell, there isn't anything I can do about it. I couldn't stop loving her if I tried. She makes me happy. She makes me feel alive. Alive, Cyrus!"

"By the way, thanks for the vote of confidence that someone like Olivia could ever love me for me and not my money or family name. Thanks for that. I will have Lauren clean out my office and send my things to the apartment."

"Fitz, you can't mean this? You're just going to walk away from everything you worked for your whole life - from everything I prepared you for?"

"Good-bye, Cyrus", Fitz turns to walk away.

"You ungrateful son-of-a-bitch. After all I've done for you. I took care of the Damien situation for you. How do you think you were able to keep your little girlfriend? Damien was going to come after her. I put a stop to it. You think that little matter just went away all on its own while you were playing house?"

Fitz turned and glared at him. "You ...?"

"No, I don't do shit like that. I got him to understand, however, it would be in his best interest to take his ass on the fucking tour. Told him the money people wouldn't take too kindly to him causing them to lose millions of dollars. He got the message, but the asshole couldn't wait to mess up. One month into the tour and he started cancelling shows. Bastard must have a death wish."

"You know, I've been wiping your spoiled ass nose for quite some time. You've been allowed to live with your head in the clouds talking about a pretty life while I did all of the dirty work. How do you think I built this damn company over the last 40 years? You don't get this far without getting your hands a little dirty."

"And now you want to just throw it all away - for her. Then you're a bigger fool than I thought. Do you know what she is, the things she allowed that fucking asshole to do to her? He told me everything- all of the gory details. It made me sick. And you want that? What does she do, give you the best head you ever had? There are plenty of them I'm told that do that well. Those fucking lips they have.

"Fuck you, Cyrus." He slams the door behind him.

 **Present Day**

They are hosting Christmas dinner and Olivia is in heaven preparing all of their favorite holiday dishes. She hadn't celebrated Christmas in forever. Fitz wanted to help, especially after seeing the mountain of bags she brought home from the grocery store. He smiles recalling their first time shopping for groceries. That seemed so long ago he thinks, shaking his head.

"Babe, are you all right?" Looking at him curiously.

"I'm fine. Just thinking. How can I help?" Since he's been home for the last few weeks he's become more interested in learning how to cook. Needless to say, the lessons weren't going well.

"Fitz, I don't want you to lose a finger, so sit - or go watch TV."

"You're never going to let me forget that", pecking her on the cheek.

"Babe, you just stood there like you didn't know what to do."

"I knew what to do."

"We'll, I don't want to have to celebrate Christmas in the emergency room because you had a mishap in the kitchen."

Their apartment is abuzz with guests: Leo and Abby, Domi (short for Dominique), Ash, Brook, and Alex. Olivia invited a few of the musicians she has begun to work with for Christmas dinner since most of their families live in other states. Her pipeline is growing.

Christmas music plays softly in the background and conversations are happening in small pockets around the room. Hands hold wine glasses, tumblers of whatever, or bottled beer. Domi is drinking Leo's famous egg nog. The lights on the huge Christmas tree twinkle and the logs crackle in the fireplace. Gifts for everyone surround the tree. The table is beautifully decorated with their fine china, silverware, and crystal. Poinsettias and berries fill tall silver vases and gold-trimmed, red ribbons flow across the table. She saw the look in one of the holiday magazines and emulated it perfectly. Adjusting the ribbons, she listens intently as Abby whispers something into her ear.

Fitz leans against the fireplace only half listening to what Leo is saying because he's admiring his beautiful fiancée across the room. He would never tire of looking at her. He wants to live the rest of his life giving her everything she desires. Her happiness is his happiness. She looks up and catches him staring with so much love in his eyes.

"I can't believe that bastard said those things about Olivia. Does she know?"

"I would never tell her anything like that. I love her too much."

"That you do. So have you figured out what you're going to do to make a living? Or, are you going to be a kept man?"

"Liv is trying to get her business off the ground so I thought I might give her a hand with that."

"How's that going by the way?"

"We're still trying to secure an investor who isn't going to want an outrageous percentage of the business. Sharks."

"Well, there's always self-funding."

"You know how I feel about that, Leo."

"Just something to consider. Speaking of investors, I've got to go pay the water bill."

Not understanding, Fitz raises his eyebrows.

"Go to the bathroom – take a piss."

"Don't let me run you off, Leo."

"Not at all. Not at all", waving his hand as he walks to the powder room.

She takes the tumbler of Scotch from his hand and takes a sip. She hates it.

"You see something you like, mister?"

"Marry me."

"I've already said yes." Smiling.

"Let's set a date. We haven't set a date", rubbing his hand up and down her bare arm.

"OK", she smiles wider, leaning into him closer.

"April."

"OK", her smile unable to get any wider. She kisses him soundly and he moans in her mouth.

"I love tasting my Scotch on you."

She makes a face. "Baby, I don't know how you drink this stuff. I'm sticking to wine."

 **A/N: Reviews are always appreciated.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thanks for the responses to this story. Also, really appreciate the advice to change the summary and insert scene change indicators.**

 **Chapter 8**

"Abby, I'm beginning to get a little concerned about Fitz."

"Why? What's going on, Liv?"

"Well, you know he resigned from The Beene Group, right?"

"Yeah, what happened between him and Cyrus? Leo won't tell me anything."

"That's just it, Abby. I don't know what happened - he doesn't want to talk about it."

"Well, it had to be something big, Liv. Fitzgerald was all set to take over the company when Cyrus retires, which is happening soon, right?"

"I guess?"

"Well, nobody walks away from a sweet opportunity like that unless something really bad happened."

"That's exactly what I think, Abby."

"Give him time, Liv. He'll open up."

"But Abby, he's been acting strangely lately."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he's announced he's becoming a hippie."

"A hippie! Do they still exist?"

"He's letting his hair grow long, wearing beat-up clothes, and reading lots of books on new age spirituality."

"Is he smoking weed?"

"No!"

"Then he'll be all right, Liv. If he were smoking weed then I would be worried. The Fitzgerald Grant I know would never touch that shit. He hates all illegal drugs. It just sounds like he's grieving."

"Grieving?"

"Yes - the loss of his job. He was all set to become President and CEO and all that just went away."

"I see."

"It also sounds like he's experiencing an identity crisis, too."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Fitzgerald has always been a high achiever. He's always held influential positions in various corporations. Now he's one of the millions of the unemployed. He's never not worked, Liv – not that he needs to. So now he has to figure out who he is without a career. Thank god he has you. Give him time, he'll be fine."

"I hope so, Abby. I hope so. Because I don't know how long I can tolerate eating his cooking."

They burst out laughing.

 **XXX**

She sets her purse on the little table in the foyer and tosses her keys into the crystal bowl. Walking through the living room to the kitchen she sees grocery bags strewn across the countertops and the floor. The sink is full of dirty dishes and it smells like something has burned recently.

"Oh my god!" Grabbing her chest.

Walking into the kitchen with the same torn jeans and sweatshirt he's worn for the past three days, he gives her a peck on the cheek.

"Fitz, what's this? What's going on?"

"I'm cooking dinner. I know you're working hard meeting with investors so I don't want you to worry about cooking when you get home."

"Fitz, you went grocery shopping again?"

"I went to Whole Paycheck, not that I get one of those any more. I threw out all of our old food and bought all new stuff." He pulls open the trash bin revealing all the food that bought recently.

"What? Why?"

"I was reading this book on clean eating, Liv, and we've been doing it all wrong."

"What are you talking about, Fitz?" Trying to remain calm.

"Well, the book talks about all the pesticides in our foods. How the animals are mistreated, causing them to release stress hormones we then eat, and don't get me started on GMOs. We're going to eat clean from now on, Liv. All organic and range-free for us", smiling proudly.

She wants to scream. She wants to rip out his tongue. Has he lost his mind? But she remembers what Abby said, he's probably grieving.

"That's fine, baby", patting him on the cheek. Let me get out of these clothes so I can help you put everything away."

 **XXX  
**

"Baby, I know not working has been difficult for you. And we all find ways to cope with the challenges and stresses in our lives. And babe, it seems like you might be struggling with figuring out who you are without a job. It feels like your interest in cooking, shopping, and spirituality are your ways of trying to cope. It seems like you're using these activities to avoid addressing your feelings about what happened between you and Cyrus." She looks at him with satisfaction after stating her assessment of his behavior with surety.

He is getting angry. How dare she try to psychoanalyze him.

"I'm going to the living room to read."

"To read? We are talking."

"No, you are talking. You are trying to psychoanalyze me - talking about me using coping mechanism. Well isn't that rich coming from the woman who shares nothing about herself. The woman who guards her feelings like they're State secrets."

"I'm going to do some reading", crawling out of the bed and walking down the long hall to the living room.

What the hell just happened she wonders?

 **XXX**

Over the next few weeks they share the same space all day now that he's no longer working. It's getting difficult for her to concentrate on researching investors with him around the apartment. He's distracting her with the banging of pots and pans in the kitchen, and the chants he does several times a day since he has now started a yoga and meditation practice. This can't go on much longer. She can't go on like this much longer. She's given him a lot of space over the last month to work through his grief, but she's not seeing him make any progress.

"Liv, I was thinking, since I have a little time on my hands - well actually I have a lot of time on my hands. I was thinking we should enroll in an Ayurvedic class in California?"

"What!?"

"Yeah, I've researched a few places and I think I've found the right one for us. They provide a complete mind, body, and spirit experience: healthy and clean eating; exercises of all sorts; and yoga and meditation. They have a spa too, Liv - something I'm sure you'll enjoy."

"Fitz, I can't go away on a retreat right now. I'm trying to get my business off the ground."

"You know you can work from anywhere, like you did when we went to London."

"You know I was in a different place in the process. At that time I was simply in the initial research phase. Now I'm trying to secure capital. I have several meetings scheduled over the next few weeks with some very important people. I can't just go away."

"We can look at your meetings schedule and plan our trip around your meetings."

"No, Fitz! This is not a good time for me to entertain another one of your whims. I'm not interested in mind, body, anything right now."

His face drops - puppy dog face on full display. She hurt his feelings. Damn it. He storms from the room mumbling something about taking a shower.

 **XXX**

He crawls into bed and turns his back to her. He's upset and won't look at her.

"Babe, I'm sorry. This just isn't a good time for me to go away."

"Then I'll go without you."

"Don't be like that. Turn around so we can talk about this."

Silence. 

"Turn around, please, so we can talk."

Silence.

She climbs over him and lay on her side, gazing into his eyes. She's never seen him look so sad. She cups his face and pecks him on the lips. He swipes her hand away and starts to turn away from her. She throws her leg over his hip, trapping him in place. He closes his eyes and sighs in frustration. Of course he can move her if he wants. She kisses him again and again and again until he begins to soften. This is her opportunity.

For a few minutes they lay face to face in the middle of their bed, with the covers draping the bottom half of their bodies. She glides her calf up and down his bottom, trying to comfort him. His right leg now rests between her thighs and she runs her hand through his growing locks. It's been over a month since he declared himself a hippie. She knows she has to get to the bottom of what happened between him and Cyrus – why he resigned. She guesses it has something to do with his visit to the London offices, and with her. He doesn't want to talk about it, but she can see it is affecting him deeply. She sees the shadow of sadness on his face when he doesn't think she's looking. She hasn't wanted to push him but things have gone too far and she wants her Fitz back.

She kisses him on the corners of his mouth, then his chin. Rubbing her hand up and down his arm, she smiles at him. He gives her a weak smile.

"I love you, Fitz - more than anything. And I am so sorry about what I said, how I said it. But you know this isn't a good time, right?"

He nods. She gives him another light kiss on his lips before starting again.

"So, are you ready to tell me what happened between you and Cyrus?"

"I told you. I resigned. He's and asshole. I can't work for an ass hole."

"Babe, I know how much you love your work and I know you're hurting."

"Liv ..."

"Fitz, you have always been here for me - helping me to navigate my new life. Helping me to start a new business. Let me be here for you. Let me help you. You don't have to do this alone, babe."

He closes his eyes and lays his head in the space between her ear and shoulder and wraps his arm around her waist.

"Talk to me babe", kissing the top of his head.

"It's not about the job, Liv. I can always get another position."

She nods her head, encouraging him to continue.

"I've known Cyrus since I was a kid - all of my life actually. He was friends with my family - always around our home when I was a kid. He and my father were involved in several business ventures together over the years. And … "

She squeezes his forearm gently.

"And when my father died, it had a devastating effect on our family. My mother went into a deep depression and I found myself left all alone for the first time in my life. I wasn't accustomed to that, Liv. My parents were always an active part of my life. So, until mom got better, Cyrus stepped in to make sure I was taken care of – physically and emotionally. He was there whenever I needed him. While he didn't try to replace my dad, he could never do that, he was always there when I needed to talk - whenever I was scared or uncertain. He was there when I graduated high school - undergrad. He was so proud, Liv, when I graduated from Harvard. He was whooping it up and hollering louder than any parent in the audience."

"He offered me a job right out of Harvard but I wanted to explore opportunities on my own. I needed to know that I could establish myself based on my own credentials and not take the easy way out."

She wraps her arm around him more tightly, her heart breaking for him.

"Liv, severing my relationship with Cyrus is the most difficult thing I've ever had to do in my life. It hurts me deeply. He hurt me deeply, Liv."

"I know, babe. I know", stroking the back of his head.

She feels his tears roll down her neck and she hurts for him. He's a good man and she doesn't like when he's hurting. Damn you, Cyrus.

"Liv, the man I considered as a second father, the man I revered, the man I would do almost anything for said a lot of horrible things to me. Things I won't repeat. Things I won't tolerate from anyone, not even Cyrus. So now I'm an unemployed hippie", he says, trying to lighten the mood. "Will you still love me now that I'm an unemployed executive?" He asks somewhat insecurely.

"You're my hippie, babe. I love my long-haired hippie."

"So, do I now get sympathy sex?"

"Only if you stop cooking, babe."

"That bad?"

"That bad, babe."

 **XXX**

Opening up to Liv about the effect his severed relationship with Cyrus is having on him made Fitz feel lighter, more at ease. Although he did not give her the specifics of why he resigned, sharing his feelings with her made him feel better, but he was still sad about the matter. After all, Cyrus has been a g part of his life for so long. He didn't know what his life would be like without Cyrus being a part of it. But, oftentimes life comes down to choices, and he had to choose. He had to decide in a split second if he was going to follow the dictates of Cyrus about his relationship with Olivia, or if he was going to follow the commands of his heart. His heart won out, but he wondered if there really is a winner in this instance. Right now he surely didn't feel like there was a winner. He loved Olivia with everything that is in him and he does not regret his decision, but it feels like a death has occurred and he doesn't know what to do about it.

 **XXX**

Olivia knew he was stuck trying to reconcile the end of his relationship with Cyrus and she wanted to do what she could to help him, without intruding and pushing too much.

"Babe? I was thinking ..." looking over at him cautiously.

Looking up from the book he is reading, he raises his eyebrows, encouraging her to continue.

"Well, I was thinking that perhaps closure, which I know is an over-used term, might be what you need to come to terms with the Cyrus situation. Babe, I don't want you to think that I'm trying to psychoanalyze you, or anything like that", speaking quickly to not upset him again. "It's just that I see you're hurting and I want to help, if I can."

He doesn't want to start another argument about her not being open with her feelings so he listens. He looks at her and nods, giving her permission to continue down this path.

"I'm not suggesting that you ever try to forget about your relationship with Cyrus - it is one of the most important relationships of your life. But, maybe you can find a way to get some closure on this phase of your relationship?" She stops to see how he's receiving her comments.

He continues to listen, silently encouraging her to continue.

"As a child you worshipped Cyrus because he was so helpful to you and your family. You wanted to thank him and please him. And, perhaps as an adult you still wanted to please him, even ..." she pauses, checking to see if she was still on safe territory with him.

"Continue."

"Even, babe, maybe when he didn't deserve it." She lets her last statement hang in the air, letting him absorb it fully.

"So what are you saying, I let Cyrus push me around and I still act like a little kid around him?" Becoming somewhat defensive.

"No, no, babe", coming over to sit next to him.

"What I'm saying is the respect and appreciation you had for him as a child, perhaps, prevented you from seeing him through the eyes of an adult – from seeing some of his flaws."

He looks at her as if her comment was something he'd never considered, which he hadn't. But, he thinks there may be some truth to what she is saying. "So what do you suggest I do to get this closure?"

"Baby, you should critically assess your relationship with him through the lens of an adult and ask yourself if the relationship empowered you or deflated you? Did he build you up or tear you down? Ask yourself if you felt you could be sincere – truly sincere – when you were with him?"

He nods, thinking more intently about her questions.

 **XXX**

Over the next few days Fitz reflected on his relationship with Cyrus. And while Cyrus has always been supportive of him, he remembers he was also controlling. Fitz never paid too much attention to Cyrus' behavior in the past, chalking it up to him being a driven business man who was always sure of what he wanted. But as Fitz now looks back, he realizes that it was more than that. He recalls often feeling dispirited after having long meetings where he disagreed with Cyrus, and in the end acquiescing to what Cyrus wanted. He also recalls, while Cyrus pretended to listen to Fitz' ideas, he never gave them much credence. Fitz felt Cyrus was often humoring him, not taking his ideas seriously. Cyrus could also be very critical of Fitz' life choices, which brought them to this point. Fitz recalls when he decided to attend graduate school on the east coast, Cyrus told him it was a stupid idea because all of his connections were on the west coast and no one would care about his family name in the east. Fitz also didn't feel he could truly be himself with Cyrus, share his dreams and ideas because Cyrus often times dismissed them as fairytales. Fitz accepted Cyrus' behaviors because he loved and trusted the man had his best interests at heart, until he no longer felt that way - until Cyrus crossed the line by disrespecting Olivia.

It was a sobering exercise for Fitz to critically evaluate his relationship with Cyrus. It was like finding out Santa Claus wasn't real. Fitz, however, knows he has to move on. He cannot continue to ruminate on what has happened. He couldn't – wouldn't remain stuck.

 **XXX**

After knocking on the doors of every potential investor, Olivia was becoming discouraged. All of the investors she contacted wanted a huge percentage of the business and she didn't want to do that. She wasn't going to give her idea away. Fitz is watching her become increasingly discouraged after each failed meeting with an investor.

"Babe, I just don't think I'm ever going to get this business off the ground. All the investors are way too greedy. I think I'm running out of options."

"Well, there is one option you haven't explored."

Looking at him curiously, she begins, "Fitz, I've applied for a loan at all of the banks and talked to every investor who expressed even a mild interest in my idea."

"You haven't talked to me." Fitz decided it was time for him to break his own rule of never using your own money to fund your business ideas. Now he's added to that credo, 'unless it's absolutely necessary.'

"Fitz …"

"Just listen to my idea before rejecting it outright, OK?"

"Fitz, I can't ask you to invest your money to start my business. Besides, you always say never use your own money to fund your ideas."

"Just listen to me, Liv. We can become business partners. I have faith in your idea. Hell, I helped with the business plan. I have the resources and I need a job."

"You don't need a job, Fitz."

"Baby, I love you and I want to help make your dream come true. I think this idea can work. This venture will not become a black hole where we invest unlimited sums of money. We will have a hard stopping point if we don't see the business can be successful. Let me do this for you – for us?"

She looks at him with tears in her eyes. She loves him so much.

"OK."

"OK?"

"But, I want to invest my money as well, Fitz. I can't put in as much as you, obviously, but I want to share in the risk. I need to do that much. OK?"

"OK."

"And, I want lawyers to draft the agreement, Fitz. I want this to be an equal partnership. OK?"

"OK", he smiles.

 **XXX**

The business is beginning to gain some traction in the marketplace. While she has the vision for the talent, he has the business acumen to make it all a reality. He knows how to develop an effective strategy and operationalize it.

She watches him come to life defining strategy and guiding others through the implementation process. GranPo isn't The Beene Group by a long shot, but he's happy working with his fiancée to start a new business. There is so much flexibility with a start-up than there is with an established, large corporation – no bureaucracy to deal with. And, he enjoys working with the young staff to hear their creative ideas. They teach him about the latest technology and how to use it and he teaches them about basic business management and leadership practices.

She's building a pipeline of talent and getting publicity for the new artists they're managing. She has to be careful the big boys don't poach her talent. For now, that's not a problem because the young, innovative musicians don't want any part of the mega companies.

Sitting at her desk in their apartment, with the sunlight streaming through the large windows, Olivia thinks about how far she has come since last August when Fitz pulled her into that closet in Preggio's. She smiles broadly and thinks, life is good.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Thanks to those of you who continue with Olivia (and Fitz) on her journey from the lowest point in her life when we first meet her to becoming whole and happy. Thanks to Guesty who is concerned the story isn't getting more reviews and for promoting my story. I owe you something. While I enjoy the reviews, some are too funny, they are not my only currency. I am truly having fun figuring out how our couple is going to make it over 18 months. Remember, this was intended to be a one-shot, but some of you wanted to know more.

Also, I understand the scene in chapter 1 is difficult to read, it was difficult to write. Domestic violence against women is real and isn't pretty, and what our girl Liv experienced is just a small peak into what happens in households daily. Some might not want to read about, and it's always their choice. I'm not pandering to or trying to offend any segment of the fandom - just having fun writing about some sensitive topics. Abusers of all sorts lose their power when their secret is exposed. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month!

 **WARNING:** A small segment of this chapter contains references to child abuse, but it's about so much more. Read on if you choose.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled program.

 **Chapter 9**

 **Flashback**

"We've got a lot to do tomorrow, Fitz – a really big day. The meeting with the …. Oh my god!"

"Liv, what's the matter, what's wrong?" Running from the bathroom with his toothbrush hanging from his mouth.

She stands frozen in the middle of their bedroom, mouth hanging open, staring at a haggard-looking Cyrus Beene being interviewed by a local reporter trying to get a comment on the breaking news.

"Liv?"

She points to the TV screen, eyes bulging. The crawl at the bottom of the screen and the handsome picture of the man displayed above Cyrus' right shoulder told him what was wrong. He looks at her dumbfounded, not knowing what to say. He watches as a lone tear runs down her face. Anger and jealousy build in his chest. That bastard still has a hold on her he thinks.

"I just need a minute", she says running from the room.

Several weeks have passed since Damien was found dead in his hotel room in The Philippines. The authorities say he overdosed on heroin, but that sounded suspicious to Olivia because Damien never used the hard stuff when they were together. But she admits she wouldn't know what he got into after she left. Damien's death has begun to take its toll on their relationship. It's mid-January and the temperature in their apartment is as cold as the temperature outside.

"Liv, have you decided? Have you even looked at the list? He was getting frustrated. No, he is frustrated.

"Not tonight, Fitz. I'm tired."

"Are you tired or just not interested?"

"Fitz ..."

"No. I need to know if you still want to do this. It's been two weeks since you said you wanted help. I did the research and you have yet to look at the bios. Do you still want to do this, Liv? If you don't then let me know because I can think of better things to do with my time than research damn doctors!"

"See, that's the problem, Fitz. I didn't ask you to research the damn doctors! You did that on your own. Every day you have another list you want me to review. I feel pressured."

"No, you're not going to turn this on me because apparently you have changed your mind. Did you even mean it when you agreed to it?"

She looks at him blankly. He means well but he is getting on her nerves with his lists of doctors and his analysis of the pros and cons of each one. She says she feels pressured—forced, but really she is scared so she starts a fight to get him off her back.

"Forget it. I'm done!" Throwing the papers on the table he walks to the foyer and grabs his keys from the crystal bowl on the little table. "I'm going out for awhile", not looking back as the door slams.

She knows she's stalling by not selecting a doctor. Fitz did a fantastic job researching psychologists based on her criteria. He spent hours poring through websites reading bios and ratings. After a few days he had an extensive list ready for her review. But each time he wanted to discuss the list she always had an excuse to put it off - citing she was too tired or too distracted with trying to get her business started. He was frustrated and tonight he's had enough.

She knows she's treading on thin ice with him – running out of excuses. Lately they did more fighting than anything. If it wasn't for planning the business they would have little to discuss these days. To say things are tense in their home is an understatement. He's spending more time away from home, only coming back after he thinks she's asleep, which she never is. She can't sleep when he's not there. She always pretends to be asleep though when he slides into bed, on his side, not touching.

She knew she was losing him and it frightened her. But she was also afraid of opening doors she had closed long ago. Their new routine of not talking, of living together as strangers, continued for several more weeks.  
 **  
XXX**

She's sitting in their bed reading on her iPad when he comes from the bathroom wearing a towel around his waist and drying his hair with a smaller version of the one around his waist. He moves to the dresser, rummaging for his pajamas. She licks her lips while sneaking a peek at his chiseled body. He lets the towel fall to the floor as he pulls on his pajama pants. She misses him. He pulls on a tee shirt, picks up the towel, and throws them into the hamper. She sneaks another peek. This is what they have come to - strangers who peer slyly at each other. Her heart is breaking. He walks to his side of the bed and grabs his phone off his nightstand and starts walking out the door. She's panicking. How did they get to this place?

"Fitz, what are you doing? Where are you going?"

"The guest room. I'll be sleeping in the guest room for awhile", staring at her with stormy eyes daring her to challenge him."

"Babe, don't do this. Can we talk about it?" She's fighting back the tears.

"Good night, Olivia."

When she hears the door to the guest bedroom close, she falls apart. For hours she cries into her pillow. She's allowing her fears to destroy everything she cares about, but she can't seem to do anything about it. She wants to be more open with him, to love him uninhibitedly, but she is afraid of losing that one part of herself she has never allowed anyone to touch since her parents died. And now she's suffering because of it, and she doesn't want to suffer any longer; but she doesn't know what to do. Hugging her pillow she rolls onto his side of the bed and the tears begin to flow again. She looks at the clock on his nightstand - 2:17 AM. She feels like time is running out for her - for them. She doesn't want to lose him. She can't go back to being the cold, dead person she was before he saved her. He made her come alive. His smile is the sunlight that warms her soul.

She crawls behind him and wraps her arm around his chest. He stiffens. This is where she started - after he saved her. This is the room in which she spent so many lonely nights trying to figure out the rest of her life. She didn't want to go back to that place. She kisses the side of his neck - his ear.

"Liv – don't."

She kisses him again and he tries to pull away but she holds him tightly around the waist.

"I'll see Dr. McManus. OK?"

Silence.

"OK?"

"OK."

 **XXX**

Olivia and Fitz sit in Dr. Patricia McManus office on the sofa holding hands. It took several weeks for them to get an appointment because Dr. McManus is considered one of the top psychologists in the country. While waiting for their appointment date Fitz, on more than one occasion thought Liv was going to renege on their agreement.

"So Olivia, Fitzgerald, what brings you in to see me today? Dr. McManus gives them a warm smile.

"Please, call me Fitz."

"OK, Fitz, what brings you and Olivia here today?"

Olivia sits stone-faced, not wanting to be there and certainly not wanting to reveal her most intimate secrets to a stranger. Hell, she hasn't even revealed them to Fitz. Fitz rubs the back of her hand with his thumb, trying to coax her into speaking. However, Liv is fixated on the lovely tea service on the table across from Dr. McManus desk, near the window. It's such a lovely tea service. It reminds her of the one she and her mother used for their private tea parties. Dad wasn't allowed to participate in these mother-daughter moments, although he tried to crash their parties more than once.

 **Flashback**

"Livvie, I used to have tea parties with my mother when I was a little girl. She loved tea and taught me about all the different kinds of teas and the various brewing methods. My mother always drank her tea with cream, but I like mine with lemon. This tea service set belonged to my mother and one day it will be yours."

 **Present Day**

"Liv?"

Fitz' voice shakes Olivia from her reverie.

"I'm sorry, what was the question?"

"I want to know why you and Fitzger – uhm, Fitz are here today?" Dr. McManus asks kindly.

Liv stares at the tea service again. Feeling insecure she begins to float to her special place. Dr. McManus stares at her intently, following Olivia's eyes, noticing that she is focused on the tea service.

"Fitz, why don't you give Olivia and me some time alone?" She smiles.

"Of course", giving Olivia a kiss on her temple before leaving the office.

"Olivia, would you like a cup of tea?"

 **XXX**

Over the next few sessions Olivia became more comfortable with Dr. McManus. She feels at home with her even though the good doctor doesn't allow Olivia to avoid her issues. Dr. McManus doesn't allow Olivia to run away from the unpleasant parts of her life.

"This is not going to be an easy journey, Olivia. There are going to be times when you want to quit and go back to familiar behaviors – to what might feel comfortable. You are going to want to shut down. You have to fight those urges. You have to be willing to do the work. Okay?"

"OK."

Over time, Dr. McManus helped Olivia to understand she needs to acknowledge her unpleasant circumstances, not hide from them. She helps her to understand that embracing her trauma then releasing it is the pathway to healing. Acknowledging the horrible things that happened to her removes all of their power. Olivia was learning so much. In time, she began to slowly open up and share her deepest and darkest secrets. It felt liberating to finally tell someone.

"So, how are things going with you and Fitz?"

"We're slowly making our way back to each other. I've begun to share stories from my childhood with him, and he appreciates that so much."

"So, how is the storytelling going?"

"Fitz loves it all. He asks all sorts of questions. He says the stories help him get to know the real Olivia", she smiles brightly."I didn't realize how important that was to him. He's just so open with everything."

"Well Olivia, it's important for the person you're in a relationship with to know about the significant events in your life – the things that helped to shape who you are – make you the woman you are today."

"I see."

"How does it make you feel sharing your stories with Fitz?

"Happy and sad."

 **XXX**

Sitting on the sofa he wraps his arm around her shoulder and kisses the top of her head as she snuggles into his side wearing her furry socks. He smiles and thinks she is too cute. In moments like this she feels like a little girl again.

She has been working with Dr. McManus for about a month now and the change in her – in them is noticeable. She began to share more about her childhood with him. Never in a structured way, however, only when the mood hit her. She told him about the happy times she shared with her family.

"I guess I love autumn because my day loved autumn. Right after Labor Day he would try to rush the rest of September along. My mom and I would laugh so hard. She would say, "Eli, looking at that calendar every day is like watching a pot, it's not going to happen any faster."

He nuzzles his nose into her hair and gives her shoulder a gentle squeeze, encouraging her to continue.

"Boy, my dad couldn't wait for October. He would have the biggest smile on his face when he came home from work with the "evidence", as he called it, that autumn was on its way. On his way home from work he would stop at the small grocery store in our neighborhood and buy his "evidence." My dad always believed in supporting the small businesses in our community. I would stand on the sofa in our living room looking out the window, watching for him to walk down the street while mom heated our creations for dinner.

"He's coming, mom!" I would yell into the kitchen. "He has the bag of evidence."

"So Eli, let us see what evidence you've found this year", my mother would wink at me as I sat on my knees in the kitchen chair waiting anxiously to see what dad had bought.

"Maya, you have to learn how to exercise patience", he would say with his big smile. You don't want our Livvie picking up bad habits - do you? Mom would always roll her eyes playfully."

"I was always excited, Fitz, when he pulled out the nuts and bright-colored fruit, the kinds we couldn't get before autumn, not like now. My favorite was the pomegranate - my dad said they called them Chinese apples when he was a kid. And Fitz, I loved candied apples - the red ones, not the caramel ones so much. My dad liked both. I remember the first candied apple my dad gave me. I couldn't wait to bite into it."

"Careful, Livvie, you have a loose tooth."

"Of course I didn't listen. I bit into the hard candy and my loose tooth got stuck in the apple. I cried and cried until dad was able to free the apple from my tooth."

She swats him across his chest because he is red-faced from laughing so hard.

"Not funny."

"I'm sorry, babe, it is funny. I would give anything to see a picture of little Livvie with a candied apple stuck to her face."

"Actually, I think there is a picture stored somewhere in one of those boxes", she says with a far-off look.

He is beside himself with laughter, tears rolling down his face. For some reason he thinks the sight of an apple stuck to her face is the funniest thing he's heard in a long time.

"OK, first it's not that funny and second, I'm not sharing any more of my stories with you", she says with playful indignation.

Standing from the sofa and looking at him as if he has lost his mind, she says, "I'm going to get set up for us to Skype with Christian. He says he has new music he wants us to hear."

He is still laughing so hard. "I'm sorry, babe, it is …" wiping the tears from his face.

Walking away she thinks how much she loves that man. Of course she's going to share more stories with him because she wants him to know the real her, not that woman he pulled into the closet at Preggio's

 **XXX**

"Our family was so happy, Fitz. I don't remember a time when mom, dad, and I weren't laughing and joking about something; and we did everything together. My parents didn't earn a lot of money but they enjoyed their work as educators. We were always going for long walks in the park, especially in autumn", she smiles at him.

"We went to all of the museums and art galleries in our town. My mom always marveled at the creativity expressed by artists, musicians... We would take day trips to the beach, which mom didn't like too much because she said it was always too hot."  
 **  
**"Eli, how could you forget the umbrella again? I am - "

" _Literally_ melting", my dad and I would finish for her. Dad and I would laugh so hard."

"Maya", Eli trying to correct, "You mean figuratively, you should know better. You're going to teach our Livvie bad habits."

"Eli, I teach English literature, of course I know the difference. I just like saying it because my mother used to say it all the time when I was a little girl. I would _literally_ fall out laughing whenever she said it", sticking her tongue out at her husband.

"My dad would admonish mom whenever she informally used the word _literally_."

Fitz kisses the side of her neck, feeling like an idiot.

"It was all so wonderful, Fitz."

He pins her hair up into a bun (it was indeed messy) and kisses her neck tenderly, encouraging her to continue as he runs the towel across her back.

"My dad always said", in her best Eli Pope voice, "Livvie, don't ever get so caught up in yourself that you forget to help others. No matter what's going on in your life it's never so bad that you can't give your fellow man a helping hand. There are a lot of people out there who need our help."

"They were always active in organizations that worked to protect the civil rights of others. They took me to many meetings with them so I knew what activism in action looked like. They detested when others were mistreated or violated. They would have none of that."

He kisses her shoulder again.

 **XXX**

He knows she's been trying really hard to be more open with him. She is sharing stories about her childhood and that makes him happy – it makes her happy. But it's still rough going for them because she is still holding back something and he doesn't know what it is. One day she is open about her past and the next day she would shut down when he tried to ask her questions. He was frustrated.

In addition to trying to work out their problems, she still hasn't secured capital for her business idea. The stress of both ventures is taking its toll on their relationship. They are arguing more and more. While they still love each other they often wonder if it's enough to save them.

 **XXX**

She sits on the bed wearing his huge white, V-neck tee shirt; watching him grab things from the dresser drawer, moving back and forth between the huge walk-in closet and the room. She feels like a statute, frozen in time. She watches as he haphazardly throws things into the black duffle bag she bought him recently. She got him the bag for his racquet ball equipment when she noticed his current bag was worn with holes, causing him to lose his keys once and allowing other small items to disappear.

She's been trying to be more open but it wasn't working – it was all too superficial. She's losing him and she doesn't know what to do. She's panicking and can't move - she's stuck. Her eyes dart around the room tracking his every move. He's now in the bathroom removing his things from his side of the counter: shaving cream, razor, and toothbrush.

She can't handle this so she begins to float to her special place - the place he knows nothing about - the place she created long ago. It's the place where no one can reach her, the place where she feels safe, untouchable.

Faintly she hears him pulling open his vanity drawer, grabbing the soap that is so him. God she loves his scent. She always gets lost in his scent. A tear begins to roll down her cheek. She knows he's now standing in the bathroom, hands on hips, looking around and checking if he has left anything. She knows him so well.

She continues to float. She can't take this - him leaving. It's too painful. She doesn't want to feel the pain. She doesn't feel any pain in her special place.

Floating.

"Well, I guess that's it", he says coming from the bathroom.

His words hold so much weight. She can't breathe.

"I'll be back for more of my things in a few days."

He's standing in the middle of their bedroom, toiletries bag hanging from his left hand, pleading with his eyes for her to stop him - to stop this. She knows that look and she wants to stop him - to stop this but she can't fucking move. She literally cannot move. She is battling between floating away to her special place and reaching out to him. Another tear begins to roll down her left cheek.

"Liv, say something", looking at her for some indication that she doesn't want this to be the end of them. After a moment he shakes his head and walks from the bedroom, down the long hall - away from her.

She no longer wants to float away to that place. She wants to be touched - to be loved. She wants him. He is her safe place - the place she goes to when she is feeling frightened, insecure. She can no longer have both. She has to choose. But she can't move. She literally cannot move - cannot speak.

She hears him walking down the hall where they shared so many intimate moments - him taking her against the walls and her pleasuring him when he entered the foyer at the end of his work day. The memories warm her. She hears his keys scrape against the crystal bowl on the little table in the foyer. Then she hears, "Livvie, baby, you better get up", jolting her from her haze.

He's leaving. She can't lose him so she runs down the long hall trying to reach her safe place, but her legs betray her. They won't cooperate. She can't get to him. He's out of reach.

"Fitz, Fitz! Don't go, Fitz."

Her feet aren't moving fast enough. Does he even hear me calling? She's running as fast as she can but he only seems to be farther out of reach. It seems to take forever to get to him. She hurls herself into his chest, nearly knocking him down, and wraps her arms around his neck, crying uncontrollably.

"Don't leave me, Fitz! I'll get better. I swear. I'll do better. Please don't leave - please!"

She slides down his body onto the floor, wrapping her arms around his legs, the side of her face pressed against his knees - holding on to her life.

"I'll do better. I really will. Just don't leave me, please."

"Livvie -"

"No, Fitz. I promise. I'll be good. I'll get better."

His heart is breaking. He doesn't recognize the woman before him. He slides onto the floor with her, stroking her hair, her face, wiping her tears. He pulls her to his chest. She is shaking and crying and he is frightened. He's never seen her like this. He can't console her.

"Shhhh. Shhhh, Livvie. I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here. OK?

Holding her face between his hands he looks into her beautiful eyes and places kisses over her face, trying to quell the endless tears.

"OK? I'm not going anywhere."

She nods, lips trembling. Not wanting him to move, afraid he will leave, they lay in the foyer for hours with his duffle bag and keys scattered across the floor in front of the little table.

"Fitz, I'm getting cold."

He smiles, wrapping his arms around her more tightly.

 **XXX**

Sipping her tea, Dr. McManus begins. "So let's talk about you telling Fitz the whole story, Olivia. He deserves that - you deserve that."

"I know. I'm - I'm just afraid."

"What frightens you about sharing this part of yourself with the man you love, Olivia?"

Tears welling in her eyes, she looks across the room, out the window. It's beginning to rain.

"I'm afraid he won't love me anymore."

"Olivia, you experienced a significant amount of emotional and physical trauma as a child. Your parents were killed in a tragic accident. And it was an accident, Olivia. No one could have prevented it, not even you. That's way too much burden for a child to think they could have changed the course of events. None of us has that kind of power."

"Then you were put into the most horrible of living conditions and I am truly sorry you had to experience that life. It was a culture shock for you. You came from a home where your parents loved you deeply, Olivia."

Tears begin to roll down her face.

"They loved you. They protected you. They encouraged you. And to be thrown into a house of horrors with a sadistic child abuser was just - it was just criminal. As a society we have to do better by our children. The foster care system for the most part does terrific work, but there are some real bad apples out there and they need to be exposed."

Dr. McManus hands Olivia a box of tissues.

"Then there's Damien, the abused becomes the abuser. You tried to protect Damien as a child and as an adult because of the compassion for humankind your parents instilled in you. But Damien took advantage of your compassion – your kindness. Olivia, Damien was deeply troubled before you met him. You took on an impossible task. Couple that with your emotional state, well it was a recipe for disaster. You're an intelligent, beautiful, and successful woman who chose to remain in an abusive relationship. And I say chose because you didn't stay because of lack of financial resources - many woman stay for that reason."

Olivia looks away.

"Don't look away, Olivia. This is not about shame or blame. You have nothing to be ashamed of. You dealt with some difficult situations in your life the best way you knew how. As a child you created unhealthy mechanisms to cope with the loss of your parents and you continue to use those same methods as an adult. The human mind is quite creative, Olivia. It has the capacity to create some beautiful things and the capacity to create some not so beautiful things."

"You should have had therapy as a child to help you to deal with the deaths of your parents, but you weren't going to get that kind of support from Mrs. Hammond. If there is any blame to be had, then I lay it at the doorstep of Mrs. Hammond and Damien. But, Olivia, blaming those people doesn't help you to really understand how your choices got you to this point in your life. Let's be clear, this is all about you. OK?"

"OK."

"Mind you, Damien does not get a pass in my book. What he did to you was vulgar and disgusting. It was barbaric and cruel. But that's a done deal now", looking at Olivia pointedly.

Olivia nods.

"You now have an opportunity to have a safe, healthy, and happy relationship with the man you love. You need to believe you deserve to be loved. Let him in, Olivia. Let Fitz see who you really are. He will still love you." Dr. McManus smiles warmly and Olivia nods in return.

"Our time is up for today. So, for our next session I want you to try to recall when you decided you were not worthy of being loved."

"In Mrs. Hammond's basement", she says in a small, child-like voice.

 **Flashback**

Olivia was placed in foster care until she graduated from high school. She was always smart and excelled effortlessly in her academic studies. However, unlike with her parents, her foster "mother", Mrs. Hammond, did not value education and she punished Olivia whenever she caught her studying. It was difficult living in Mrs. Hammond's house. The woman was cruel beyond belief. Olivia often wondered why she took in foster kids.

After a year at the Please Cheque Juke Joint the authorities found out 12-year-old Damien was working there as an entertainer. The club was shut down and Damien was placed in foster care.

On her first day at Mrs. Hammond's Olivia met a little, skinny boy with the saddest eyes she'd ever seen. He was so scared, and so was she, but she was a bit more brave than he because she could articulate her thoughts. He, however, could hardly speak, and when he did, he would stutter something awful. Her parents always taught her to be compassionate – to look out for the less fortunate. Although she and Damien were in the same predicament, she felt the need to protect him from Mrs. Hammond's cruelty and from the other children.

"You think you're so damn smart don't you, Olivia? Well you're not, that's why your parents left your skinny ass. They didn't love you! And I see you sneaking around hiding those papers you're always reading. I know how you always take the blame for shit you didn't even do. I know how you protect that little tied-tongue bastard in there. For the life of me I don't know why, but that's your business. But I'm going to have to teach you a lesson for disobeying Mrs. Hammond. You're going to learn that I'm the only woman in this house."

Mrs. Hammond would beat Olivia until her arm grew tired of swinging the extension cord. Damien heard each lash and cringed whenever the cord connected with Olivia's skin. Hiding under the bed he remembered how his daddy used to beat him. Damien promised if he ever made it to the big time he would repay Olivia for taking his beatings, for saving him.

No matter how many beatings she got and how long Mrs. Hammond would beat her Olivia never cried because she found a safe and special place where she didn't feel pain – where she didn't feel anything. Whenever Mrs. Hammond beat her she would float away to her special place. She decided there wasn't any harm that anyone could ever cause her because she had her special place.

They survived Mrs. Hammond's house of horrors, bruised and battered, but alive. Olivia won several academic scholarships to the top universities. She did her undergraduate work at George Washington University and got her law degree from Yale Law School. Meanwhile, Damien is trying to break into the music business as an R&B singer.

 **XXX**

They hadn't seen each other in years until on one fateful day she ran into him at a restaurant on Townsend Boulevard. They are now adults, not those scared children in Mrs. Hammond's house. Olivia was working as an entertainment attorney and Damien had just received his first multi-million dollar record deal. While he had a slew of lawyers, accountants, and PR people handling him, he did not trust any of them. He always felt ashamed, insecure, and less than around them. He distrusted them and was always afraid they would discover his secret.

He had become suspicious of everyone, insecurities and inadequacies will do that sometimes. So when he came across his old friend Olivia Pope and found out she was an entertainment attorney he latched on to her. He knew he could trust his old friend.

At some point they became a "couple" – two lonely souls trying to make a connection with someone. It was never about love, though. It was about finding another human being to connect with so they wouldn't feel so damn lonely all the time. Olivia protected Damien's legal interests, not letting anyone take advantage of him, the same way she protected him at Mrs. Hammond's house.

The world saw Damien as a huge singing star, lauding him with praises and awards. He is living the good life publically, but privately he is the same little scared boy from Beaumont who was thrown away by his parents. He felt unwanted and unloved all of his life. Hell, if his parents didn't want, he thought, then who would? He's been angry for a long time.

Damien needed Olivia but he always hated she knew his secrets – that she could see beyond the public persona. He hated her background as well, always going on and on about her loving family when they met at Mrs. Hammond's house. She was also smart and could say what was on her mind without stuttering. He knew they were from two different worlds.

He, however, knew her secrets as well. He knew she was dead inside and didn't care what happened to her life since her parents died. Academics and work were her life; they were the only things that mattered to her – no emotional attachments ever again.

So the abuse started not long after they became a "couple". Damien used Olivia as his personal punching bag and sex slave because he knew she would take it. He knew none of the abuse even mattered to her because she was emotionally barren. And, he felt powerful when he violated her, the way his daddy violated him.

 **Present Day**

Standing in front of the large windows looking out at the city stretching before her, she thinks how ironic it is that today is Valentine's Day. This is their first Valentine's Day and she doesn't know where he is. She doesn't know where they stand as a couple or even if they are still a couple. This is the day when lovers are supposed to profess their undying love for each other. It's the day when small gifts, flowers, and chocolates are given as an expression of love. These days it doesn't feel like there is much love in this apartment.

She thinks about everything Dr. McManus said during her last session. Dr. McManus is right, if she and Fitz are going to have any chance of salvaging their relationship then she would have to come clean with him - tell him everything. But she's afraid if she tells him everything he won't want her - won't love her any more. She's afraid he will be disgusted by her. She also knows if she doesn't tell him - isn't forthcoming - she will lose him, if she hasn't already lost him. There isn't another option.

Ultimately, life comes down to choices and she has to choose. She has to choose if she wants to revert to her old life where she was alone and emotionally dead, or if she wants to fight to have a life with him. He's still coming home later and later and she's terrified he's seeing someone because they haven't been intimate in a month. She wraps her arms around her body trying to prevent her fears from spilling out. She hears his key slip out of the lock and he tosses them into the crystal bowl on the little table in the foyer. He hangs his coat in the closet then slips off his shoes. She smiles because she loves his routine - she loves him - with all of her heart. In a split second she chooses.

He glances at her purse on the tiny table and smiles. He still wonders what she carries in such a large purse. He also feels sad about their circumstances, no longer believing they're going to make it. As he walks into the living room he sees her staring out the windows, into the night. She doesn't turn around when she hears him approaching.

"Olivia?"

She stiffens before turning around. They stare into each other's eyes trying to find the person they fell in love with. Tears threaten to spill but she fights them. This is not the time for crying.

"Bathe with me?" She asks almost pleadingly.

He looks at her hesitantly, not sure if he wants to go down that path with her again. He has just gotten to the place where he has accepted their relationship isn't going to work, and it pains him deeply because he loves her deeply.

He nods.

There is no music, no candles, no wine, and no scented sachets floating atop the water. This is a soul-cleansing bath. This is them trying to find their way back to each other.

She tells him everything - about her parents and how much she loved them and misses them, about how she walled off her feelings when they died - about how they died. She tells him how angry she is with them for leaving her all alone. She tells him about the foster home where she met Damien and why she became his protector. She tells him about the abuse she suffered at the hands of Mrs. Hammond – how Mrs. Hammond always told her no one would ever love her. She tells him about her special place.

She tells him how she always excelled in school and knew at an early age that education would be her way out. She tells him how she and Damien reconnected by chance. And she tells him about the physical and sexual abuse she allowed for years. She tells him why she allowed it for so long. And she tells him how much she loves him and how grateful she is he pulled her into that closet at Preggio's. She was hoarse when she was done. Her soul was naked before him. She now felt clean.

"No more talking", he says, placing kisses across her back.

With tears streaming down his face he wraps his arms around her wishing he could have protected little Livvie. He kisses the top of her head and she relaxes into his embrace, feeling free and safe. They remain like that until the water is no longer warm.

"Fitz, I'm getting cold."

He smiles, stands from the tub, and wraps a towel around his waist. He reaches for her hand and pulls her from the tub, wrapping her in the huge, white sheet towel. He carries her to their bedroom, dresses her in his white tee shirt, and swaddles her in the covers. He puts on his tee shirt and pajama pants and climbs in bed behind her, wrapping his arms around her.

"Fitz, now that you know, can you still love me?" Her voice is so small and child-like – so broken.

Silence.

Throat tight with tears he is unable to answer. He kisses the top of her head and pulls her closer. He knew in that moment he would never let anyone hurt his Livvie again.

"Forever."

 **XXX**

"Tea, Olivia?"

"Yes, please."

Dr. McManus uses her French tea press to make their tea. She brings the tea service, cream, lemon, and sugar and sets them on the table in front of the sofa where Olivia is sitting. Dr. McManus likes cream in her tea while Olivia prefers lemon.

"Olivia, I want you to try these wonderful scones I got at the bakery today. I just couldn't resist. Dr. McManus sets the tray of scones on the table in front of Olivia. By the way, how's that handsome fiancé of yours?"

"Fitz is great", she's beaming with joy.

"You know, Olivia", crossing her legs and sipping her tea. "If I were a younger woman, I'd give you real competition for that man. He's a good one and he loves you deeply."

"I'm sure Mr. McManus might have something to say about", she smiles, sipping her tea.

"Olivia, I wouldn't trade Mr. McManus for anything in the world, not even for your Fitz."

"I'm glad", they burst out laughing.

"So, how are you doing today, Olivia?

"I'm doing much better Dr. McManus. I really think these sessions are beginning to work", she smiles brightly.

 **XXX**

Before he could slide his key out of the lock, he hears music blasting in the apartment. Not bothering to remove his shoes or drop his keys into the crystal bowl on the little table in the foyer, he walks slowly toward the living room, wondering what the hell is going on. He stops in his tracks at the sight before him.

Liv?" He asks cautiously.

No response.

"Olivia!" He shouts.

She spins around, hands in the air, swirling her hips. She's wearing the biggest smile ever.

"Liv, are you okay?" He asks slowly, eyeing her suspiciously.

She beckons him with her index finger.

"What are you doing?" Still unsure of what's going on.

"I'm dancing – we're dancing."

"We're dancing?"

"Yes, Fitz, we're dancing. Dance with me, Fitz. I taught you how to do it. Just relax, baby, it's just us."

He smiles and begins to dance, somewhat awkwardly.

"That's right, Fitz. Work it baby."

They dance around the apartment for two or three songs before slumping onto the sofa in a fit of laughter.

"What has you pumping up the volume, Livvie?"

"Babe, nobody says pumping up the volume anymore."

"How would I know that?" He asks seriously.

"I feel good, Fitz. I feel alive! This is the first time in a long time I feel free. I'm so happy."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Thanks everyone for continuing to read this story. Although I didn't chop off Damien's nuts as some would have liked (too funny), he got his in the end. Cyrus warned him. And, you know what they say about karma? Remember, Dr. McManus told Liv that Damien doesn't get a pass in her book, or in mine. This is all about Liv getting healthy.**

 **Here we go. Enjoy.**

 **Chapter 10**

"Babe, what are you cooking, it smells terrific?"

"Chicken Marsala", he says looking into the oven.

"Wow! Look at you getting all fancy. Babe, I can't believe how good your cooking has gotten", looking over his shoulder and into the oven.

Fitz' cooking skills have improved dramatically over the past month. After leaving The Beene Group he spends a lot of time practicing the techniques Olivia taught him, although several pots and pans have been harmed in the process. And, there was the small fire in the kitchen.

She kisses him and grazes her finger nails through his hair that is now below his ears. He wasn't kidding when he said he was going to become a hippie and a kept man – well not so much a kept man.

"Babe, how long are you going to let your hair grow?"

"I'm a hippie now, Liv. There is no limit. Maybe I'll get a man bun", he smiles.

"And maybe you won't", looking at him pointedly. "We are getting married in one month and I'm not walking down the aisle to meet Jared Leto, although he is kind of cute. And, I don't want our children to look at our wedding pictures and see their father looking like a hippie on our wedding day.

"So, how many babies are we going to have?" Pressing her against the island.

"Focus, Fitz."

"I am. I want four – one boy and three girls", he smiles, giving her a peck on the nose.

"And who do you think is going to push out all of those babies?" Looking at him like he has lost his mind.

"My beautiful wife - and I'll help", kissing down her neck.

"How are you going to help me deliver a baby?"

"I'll be in the delivery room holding your hand - cheering you along."

"Haircut, Fitz, before the wedding or you won't get a chance to practice making one baby let alone four." She ducks under his arm and walks out of the kitchen.

 **XXX**

"Liv, we have to find dresses - and soon!" Abby booms while poking into her salad.

"I know, Abbs. Fitz and I have been so busy with the business we just haven't had time to think about planning for the wedding."

"I know, Liv, but Fitzgerald is adamant about an April wedding. And once that man has his mind made up – "

"I know, Abbs. I know."

"By the way, it's been four months, has he told you anything about what happened?"

"Not a thing, Abbs - nothing. He just says Cyrus is an asshole and that he won't work for an asshole. So I've stopped asking. I don't want to start an argument."

"So how is Fitzgerald doing? Is he still acting all weird? He hasn't started smoking weed has he?"

"No, he hasn't started smoking weed, Abby, or anything else. He's good actually. We're in a really good place now", thinking about everything they've gone through over the past couple of months. "So Abby, do you know what happened between Fitz and Cyrus? Has Leo said anything?" She asks anxiously, not sure if she really wants to know.

"Well, Liv ..."

"Come on Abbs, we've become friends, you can tell me if you know anything."

Abby looks away into the distance, stirring her iced tea absently.

"Come on, Abby, spill it."

"I don't want to hurt you, Liv", looking into her friend's anxious eyes.

 _So it is about me she thinks._

"Abby ..."

"Well, Leo didn't give me any specifics, but he said Fitzgerald confided in him at your Christmas party about the stupid shit that old bastard said."

Olivia nods her head, coaxing Abby to continue.

"I'll just say that Cyrus is a dinosaur and a bigot, and Fitzgerald wasn't having any of it", looking sadly at an obviously hurt Olivia.

"I see", wanting to change the subject because her feelings are hurt.

"By the way, Abby, it's so generous of you and Leo to allow us to have our ceremony at your home. We didn't want an elaborate event, just something small and with our friends. Your home is perfect for that."

"Liv, are you okay?" Looking at her friend sympathetically.

"I'm fine, Abby", flicking her hand in the air. We have a wedding to plan!" Trying to shake of the hurt.

"Liv, you and I are becoming friends fast and Leo and Fitzgerald have been friends forever. Since neither you nor Fitzgerald has any family to speak of, having it here makes perfect sense. And, since you're having a spring wedding, we can have the ceremony outside. I thought Leo was crazy when he told me this house sat on a vineyard. I told him I drink wine, I don't make it!"

The two women laugh hysterically.

"Abby, you are crazy. But seriously, I don't want you doing any of the work. We'll find a wedding planner who will organize everything quickly", she says setting her glass on the checkered cloth napkin.

 **XXX**

After her lunch with Abby, Olivia was so filled with love for him she couldn't wait to get home. He gave up everything for her and she wanted him to know how much she loves and appreciates him. When she let herself into the apartment she saw Fitz was in the middle of his upward facing dog yoga pose.

"Liv?" Looking at her curiously.

"Bedroom. Now. Strip!"

She left a trail of clothes in the long hall leading to their bedroom. When she enters the room he's standing by the bed grinning, wearing nothing but a big smile.

"I love when you boss me around little woman."

Walking slowly to him she tells him how much she loves him and never wants him to doubt it. And she tells him everything she's going to do to him. "Okay?"

He swallows hard and nods. "To what do I owe all of this bossiness? Not that I'm complaining, mind you."

She's all over him - kissing, nibbling, stroking. He kisses her with the same intensity and passion. She opens her mouth and they begin one of their favorite dances.

"I love you, baby", she murmurs, pushing him onto the bed. "So, so much", looking at him adoringly.

"I love you too, babe", smiling brightly.

She crawls on top of him, showering him with kisses and placing small bites under his chin and on his neck. She licks and sucks his Adam's apple. Her finger nails graze the sides of his head. He's on fire and his breathing is shallow. He squeezes her ass and sucks on a breast and she begins writhing in pleasure on top of him. He knows what she likes.

"Oh, Fitz. So good. So, so good."

She reaches down and strokes his fully erect member until he starts to drip in her hand. She spreads his juices up and down his length painfully slow; then she rubs the head with her flattened palm, and he squirms under her in ecstasy.

"Ooh, baby", he moans. "Don't stop", eyes closed, beginning to roll his hips.

She massages her slit with his juices that coat her fingers. "I'm going to ride you, Fitz", whispering in his ear. She slides down onto his throbbing member and the feeling of him filling her is exquisite. The pronounced veins of his thickness massage her walls gloriously. She spreads her thighs and glides up and down, riding him nice and slow, at first, the way she knows he likes it.

"Is this how you like it, baby? Tell me this is how you like it."

"Yes. Yes", massaging her ass and kissing down her neck.

With her head thrown back, she picks up the pace, gyrating her hips with more excitement, riding him harder and faster - the way he likes it. She's giving him her all. She wants him to feel how deeply and uninhibitedly she loves him. He's trying to hold on but she feels so fucking good.

"Tell Livvie this is how you like it, baby."

Yes. Yes. That's how I like it. Just like that, baby. You always make me feel so good."

She's working him over with fervor and he doesn't want it to end so he flips and straddles her, locking her in place. He looks at her with unadulterated lust. She smiles, rubbing her hands up and down his chest.

He holds his hardened member in his hand and glides the head up and down her slit, slowly. She goes wild, twisting and turning, trying to get away but not wanting to get away. She screams but the sound is lost somewhere in her throat. The sensation is too much. It's agony interlaced with ecstasy.

"You like that, Livvie? Tell me you like it", watching her get lost in the pleasure.

"Ahh, Fitz. It feels so good, so good", barely audible.

Eyes now the color of the night, he says everything he's going to do to her. "I'm gonna fuck you, Livvie - hard - the way you like it. Okay?"

She's lost the ability to speak so she nods her head up and down fervently. With his weight supported by his forearms on either side of her head, he slides into her heat. She is so wet, just the way he likes it. His breathing is ragged as he dives in, gliding in and out effortlessly, reveling in her wetness. He rides her bud because he knows that's what she likes, and she begins to buck under him, again. He rides it until the dams break away, again - until she collapses in complete bliss.

Sweat dripping from his forehead onto her chin, he thrusts harder and deeper. He can't believe how deep he is. His heart is hammering and, at this moment, he can't imagine anything in the world more pleasurable. This must be heaven he thinks.

"So fucking good, Livvie. You feel so fucking good."

She lifts her hips from the bed, opening her legs wider, allowing him to thrust deeper. He captures her lips and kisses her hungrily as he explodes, screaming something unintelligible. They continue to grind slowly, needing to savor every moment of the most glorious sensation ever.

Body completely flush, he lay atop her– softening. Her thighs twitch uncontrollably. She rubs her hands up and down his slickened back and through his matted hair. She feels loved, and she loves him completely. She laves kisses along his jaw line, unable to get enough of him.

"I love you so much, Fitz."

He is whipped. With labored breathing, chest rising and falling, he croaks out, "I guess I'll get a haircut more often", grinning from ear to ear.  
 **  
XXX**

Fitz is charged with selecting the location for their honeymoon. He is really good at researching and Olivia trusts his judgment. He's using a lot of the apps and websites the GranPo staff has introduced him to, but he's still coming up short – nothing seems to fit. He's feeling the pressure because the wedding is three weeks away and he hasn't found a location he thinks will work for them. Should they go to one of the islands? No, everybody does that. Should they go back to Paris since it will be warmer? No, they'll re-visit Paris, but not for their honeymoon. He's running out of time.

Another week has passed and Fitz still hasn't booked their honeymoon. He's growing more anxious. Sitting on the sofa sipping her tea, Olivia smiles and looks over to the desk where her fiancé sits, focused intently on his laptop screen. The glass windows behind him show the sun is beginning to set.

"Fitz, have you made the arrangements for our honeymoon? We get married in two weeks, babe. I'm getting so excited. I can't wait to see where you selected."

"Got everything under control, Liv", nervously running his hand through his hair, a habit that has worsened since taking on the task of planning their honeymoon.

She eyes him closely because she knows he's nervous about something whenever he starts running his hand through his hair. So she walks over to the desk, sits on his lap, and kisses him on the cheek. She wants to see the destinations he's been researching.

"So, tell me where're we going, babe?"

He closes his laptop so she can't see that he hasn't made much progress.

"Why are you closing your laptop? Let me see what you've come up with", reaching to open the computer.

"Nope. It's a surprise", he says, swatting her hand away.

She looks at him suspiciously, "Fitz, you _have_ booked our honeymoon, _right_?"

"Liv, don't worry. I have everything under control", running his hand through his hair. "I have to go meet Leo", he says unexpectedly.

" _Leo_? You didn't say …"

He lifts her from his lap and grabs his computer. He pecks her on the lips and rushes out of the apartment.

 **XXX**

When Fitz left the apartment he called Leo from his car in the parking garage and asked him to meet him at their hang-out spot. Fitz enters the bar looking around frantically for his friend.

"Leo, I'm in trouble."

"Well, hello, hi, how are you, Fitzgerald."

" _Leo_. I need your help. I haven't found a destination for our honeymoon yet and Liv is getting suspicious." Fitz sits down and orders a beer.

" _What?_ Fitzgerald, you're getting married in like _two weeks_ ", Leo says leaning back in his barstool, looking astonished.

"I know. I know. It's just - every place I looked at doesn't seem right for us."

"It doesn't matter if it's the _right_ place; you just have to go _someplace_. At this point you should just throw a dart at a map because Liv is going to kill you if you mess this up." Leo looks at his friend sympathetically, shaking his head.

"I know. I know", sighing heavily, pushing his beer bottle from side to side on the bar. "And _please_ , don't tell Abby", looking at his best friend with pleading eyes.

 **XXX**

"Liv, so where are you and Fitzgerald going on your honeymoon - somewhere exotic?" Abby asks, wiggling her eyebrows.

"I don't know, Abby. He's being real secretive about it. Honestly, I'm getting a little nervous."

"Why? What's wrong?

"Well, Fitz is just acting strange about the whole matter."

"He's not smoking weed this time, is he, Liv?"

Smiling and waving her hand in the air, "No, Abby, it's nothing like that. But – I don't know …", shaking her head. "Whenever I ask him about the honeymoon he gets all nervous and he won't let me see any of the places he's considered. He always closes his laptop when I get too close. I don't know – I just feel like something isn't right. If he hasn't booked anything yet …"

"Don't worry, Liv. Fitzgerald knows if he screws this up he'll be divorced in short order."

 **XXX**

She sets her purse on the table, slips off her shoes, and hangs her coat in the closet. As she walks into the living room she sees Fitz sitting cross-legged and meditating in front of the large windows. Not wanting to disturb him, she walks quietly to their bedroom where she sees his laptop sitting on the bed. Curiosity gets the best of her so she sits on the bed and opens it. She needs to know where they're going to honeymoon. She looks at his history and sees the various websites he's searched. _So, he has been doing his homework._ She opens his email app and scrolls through looking for airline and hotel confirmations. She wonders why he has so many old emails. Didn't Amy teach him how to manage his email account? She is so focused on finding reservation confirmations she doesn't notice he's standing in the doorway watching her.

"You find what you're looking for?" Leaning against the door frame, arms and legs crossed.

She jumps, startled by his voice. "Fitz", grabbing her chest. "You scared the daylights out of me. Why are you sneaking around like that?"

"Don't deflect - answer my question, Liv. Did you find what you were looking for?" Looking at her intently.

"You won't tell me anything, Fitz – about our honeymoon. I need to know where we're going. I need to know what to pack", she says with her best pouty face.

He walks over to the bed, closes his laptop, and sets it on his nightstand. "I told you, Liv, I have everything under control. You don't need to worry." Wanting to avoid her questions, he walks over to the dresser and starts rummaging through a drawer.

"Fitz, are you sure because I didn't see any airline or hotel confirmations in your inbox? By the way, you need to delete some of those old emails."

"My emails are none of your business, Liv."

"So, are you going to tell me where we're honeymooning? Everyone is asking and I can't give them an answer. It's kind of weird."

"Number one", he turns around holding up an index finger, "It's nobody's business. Number two", holding up another finger, "We agreed I would handle the honeymoon while you and Abby take care of everything else. How's that going by the way?"

"Look at who's deflecting now?" She's looks at him with a two can play that game expression.

 **XXX**

"Liv, you look absolutely gorgeous. That dress is perfect. We were really lucky to find it considering we started shopping so late."

"I know. I just love it, Abby. You look wonderful as well. That color is perfect for you. Has everyone arrived? Have you seen Fitz?"

"Everyone has been seated out back and Fitzgerald is somewhere with Leo, probably having a drink to calm his nerves."

Olivia nods her head as she admires herself in the full-length mirror.

"So Liv, has Fitzgerald told you where you're honeymooning? Leo doesn't know a thing, at least he isn't telling me. I tried bribing him with sex but he says he knows I want it more than he does so it's not really a bribe. I hate him sometimes", looking in the mirror, fixing her hair, and smiling.

"Nothing, Abby. At this point I guess it doesn't matter. I just packed a bag with all the basics. I guess I'll just have to trust him and go with the flow."

 **Flashback**

Fitz is getting more and more nervous and is finding it difficult to sleep. The wedding is a week away and he still hasn't found a destination that's right for them. Unable to sleep, he sneaks out of bed, trying not to disturb her, and walks down the long hall to the living room. Standing in front of the huge windows looking at the city lights twinkling in the night, he runs his hand through his hair. Time is running out – no, time has run out. His stomach is in knots. _She's going to kill me he thinks_.

He's been standing in front of the windows for hours and the sun is beginning to rise. Then the answer hits him and he begins to smile.

 **Present Day**

It's a beautiful day for a wedding at the vineyard. The gods have apparently conspired on their behalf to ensure the sun shines brighter today, but not too hot; and the sky is the clearest shade of blue, not a cloud in the sky. Mandy, the wedding planner, has done a terrific job organizing everything, remarking daily how much there was to do and so little time. Olivia and Abby would eye each other and chuckle silently whenever Mandy started one of her rants. Although they are not Quakers, Olivia and Fitz chose to have a Quaker ceremony, which made Mandy's job much easier, not that she would ever admit it.

The wedding guests sit on white wooden chairs facing the simple altar. The small wedding party, Leo and Abby, stand with the anxious groom in front of the wall with flowing water, providing a calming effect to the environment. A small wooden table containing the marriage certificate, ink pens, and a simple bouquet of flowers sit to the right of the altar. Christian, who flew in from London, sits to the left of the altar on a tall wooden stool, hair pulled up into a bun, strumming his guitar softly. Domi, with waist-length braids, wears a simple sleeveless, pink A-line dress and four-inch silver heels. She accompanies Christian with her beautiful voice.

It's a bittersweet day for Olivia. On what should be the happiest day of her life she is somewhat sad because her parents aren't here to celebrate her special day. She wishes her mother was here to help her with all of the planning. She wishes her father was here to walk her down the aisle. But none of it was meant to be so she decided to walk down the aisle alone to greet her husband-to-be. She knows this day is particularly tough for Fitz as well, not having his parents or even Cyrus to celebrate his wedding day.

Seeing Olivia standing in the entryway, Mandy signals Christian and Domi to begin singing the unique wedding song he wrote specially for the couple. As she walks down the aisle Olivia sees all of the important people in their lives: Leo and Abby stand at the altar; Lauren sits smiling with her date, Vincent; Dr. and Mr. McManus sit holding hands, smiling happily; and Amy and all of the GranPo musicians are there as well.

As she continues down the aisle slowly, Olivia looks into his gleaming eyes, the color of the sky. She feels his love from the distance. He looks so handsome - hair gelled, putting the curls on full display, and tuxedo tailored to perfection. She smiles at him, wondering how she got so lucky. The last few months were difficult for them, and at times they didn't know if they were going make it. But seeing him today, waiting for her, made everything they went through worth it.

Olivia takes her place at the altar and hands her bridal bouquet to Abby. Christian continues to strum his guitar softly as each member of the wedding party reads a poem or give heartfelt words that extol the joys of marriage. There is no officiant in Quaker weddings - the couple marry each other without a third party. Olivia and Fitz exchange vows and rings before God and their friends. They share a deep and passionate kiss, eliciting some whooping from the guests. Then the couple sign the marriage certificate next to the bouquet of flowers on the small wooden table. They kiss again and express their gratitude for having found each other and for having such wonderful friends.

During the simple and elegant luncheon, they interact with their friends, thanking them for sharing their special day.

"Anything yet, Liv? Do you know where you're going? Abby asks excitedly, with a slight slur.

"Nothing, Abby. I'm just so excited. I trust my husband." She smiles when she says _husband_.

After the reception, Olivia and Fitz are off to the airport to board a plane for their honeymoon. In the limousine they smile at each other with so much love in their eyes.

"Wife", kissing her ring.

"Husband", kissing his ring.

She climbs onto his lap and kisses him passionately while running her hands through his once well-groomed hair. He kisses down her neck, to her breasts. Desire begins to fill him and his pants start to feel a little tighter. She glides her tongue inside his mouth and he moans.

"Sir, we're here", the driver announces through the intercom.

Husband and wife look at each other and laugh out loud because they are now a complete mess. Their hair is wild, her lipstick covers his face, and he has a bulge that won't go away.

"What am I supposed to do about this?" Smiling and pointing to the rise in his pants.

She smiles and shrugs. "Where are we, Fitz?" Holding his hand while walking across the tarmac.

"Airport", he says with a big smile.

"I know we're at the airport, but why aren't we at a terminal?"

"We're taking a private flight", looking straight ahead and pretending it's the most natural thing in the world to fly on a private jet.

"What?"

"I told you, Livvie, I have everything under control."

Once settled in their seats on the plane he announces they're going to California. Her eyes bulge.

"California? Don't tell me we're going to that retreat, Fitz?"

"OK, then I won't", smiling broadly. Clearly enjoying keeping his wife in the dark.

"Fitz …"

"Wife, relax. We have a four-hour flight ahead of us", kissing her on the cheek.

 **XXX**

Another limousine is waiting for them when they land at the small Santa Barbara airport.

"We have about an hour drive to our destination", he says, leaning in and kissing her left temple.

"So you're still not going to tell me the name of the resort we're staying at?"

"Nope", kissing her temple again. He's really enjoying his little secret.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Thanks to those who choose to continue on this journey. Allaboutpassion, you had me cracking up. So you don't want Fitz to take Liv to the damn ranch for their honeymoon?**

 **Chapter 11**

An hour later the driver turns left off the main highway onto a three-mile-long private road that leads to a huge wrought iron privacy gate. The driver enters the code and the gate swings open revealing a long cobblestone driveway that leads to the Grant Ranch. It really isn't a ranch per se, it's a more of compound composed of the main house, which is a huge Italianate-style mansion surrounded by tall majestic redwood trees, lush lawns, and gardens. There are two smaller houses and three guest bungalows. Indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a tennis court, and horse stables.

"Wow, Fitz. This is beautiful. What's the name of this place?"

He's grinning broadly.

"Fitz", she hits him lightly on the arm, "what's this place?"

"It's my home – _our home_ , Livvie." He looks at her anxiously, unsure if she will be disappointed in not going on a traditional honeymoon.

" _Oh, my god. Your home?_ You never told me ..."

"Let's go inside, wife", smiling broadly, now proud of his accomplishment.

He swoops her up and carries her across the threshold. She's looking over his shoulder trying to take in the huge entryway. The foyer is breathtaking - from the high vaulted ceilings to the incredible chandelier, arched doorways, and an appropriate mix of hardwood and tile flooring. The Italian marble tile flooring brings a unique color and quality to the home.

On the main floor are a formal living room and dining room, a family room, office, library, kitchen, various pantries, and utility rooms. All the formal living spaces open to a patio courtyard with a hand/painted fountain in the center.

The second floor has six bedrooms, a sewing and gift wrapping room, a second laundry room, and a children's playroom.

The lower level has a home theater, an exercise room, another entertainment space with a huge bar, and living quarters for the help.

"Fitz, Fitz. Put me down. Someone's over there" she tries to whisper.

He ignores her and continues sucking on her face. She hits his shoulder lightly trying to get his attention, wanting him to know there is a woman across the foyer, standing silently with hands folded in front of her.

"Mr. Grant – Mrs. Grant, welcome home", the woman says in an unrecognizable accent.

"Fitz, put me down", Olivia tries again.

Fitz turns around with the broadest smile, still holding his wife in his arms.

"Olga! What did I tell you about that Mr. Grant business? Olga, this is my wife, Olivia – Olivia this is Olga. Olga has been with our family forever, since I was a little kid. She has always been there for me. She is wonderful, family really."

"Thank you, sir", smiling at him beaming proudly while still carrying his wife.

"Hello, Olga", reaching over Fitz to shake the woman's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"A pleasure to meet you, too, Mrs. Grant."

"Please, call me Olivia."

"What a beautiful name for a beautiful woman."

"Thank you, Olga. Fitz, put me down."

"Sir, the house has been prepared according to your specifications. Dinner will be served at seven in the main dining."

"Thank you, Olga. I'm going to take my wife to our room and we will see you at seven."

"Of course, sir. Mrs. Grant", Olga says as she bows then walks down a long hall.

Fitz carries Olivia up the grand staircase and she continues to peer over his shoulder trying to take in the massive house. She doesn't think she's seen a chandelier that big in her entire life. Fitz carries her into their bedroom. The room is huge with tall, wide windows designed to let natural light stream in. Large glass-paneled doors lead to a terrace providing a panoramic view of the property. The California king-sized bed is adjacent to a large sitting area. He's grinning like a Cheshire cat as he sets her on the huge bed.

"You like?"

"This house is huge. This room is huge, Fitz. Baby, how could you keep all of this a secret from me?"

"It wasn't a secret. I just haven't felt a connection to this place in a long time. Liv, I haven't been here in years – since my mother died actually. Olga keeps the place running."

"Fitz, this place is amazing. This is where you grew up?" eyes bulging.

"Yup."

"Baby, this is way better than any resort."

"I did good, then?"

"You did good, baby."

"So what's my reward?" He's smiling eagerly.

"You're incorrigible. We have to be downstairs for dinner by seven."

"No we don't", pinning her down on the bed.

"But, Olga -"

"Will understand."

"I want a tour, Fitz."

Kissing down her neck and unhooking her bra, "Tomorrow."

"How big is this place, Fitz? How many rooms? How many acres?"

Now pulling down her pants and kissing her stomach, "A lot."

"Is there a pool?"

Sliding down her underwear, "Two."

" _Two pools?"_

"Indoor and outdoor." He's working her out of her underwear.

He has managed to get her completely naked. At some point he'd removed all of his clothes as well. He slides up her body and begins to lick and suck a breast. She begins to squirm and he turns his attention to the other one.

"Fitz, do you have horses?"

Kissing and licking his way down her stomach, "Yes, we have horses." He kisses and nibbles the inside of her thighs, sending chills through her body. Continuing down, he sucks and kisses her knees. His tongue roams down her legs. He flips her over and kisses and bites her neck tenderly while one hand reaches under and strokes her pocket. His tongue works down her spine the way he knows she likes it. He languishes on her buttocks, kissing and licking. He tastes all of her. She moans with content. He kisses and licks his way down the backs of her thighs and calves, taking his time enjoying every inch of his wife. He turns her back over and kisses her passionately. She is on fire, panting with desire.

"Oh, Fitz."

"I love you, Livvie."

He works his mouth down to the valley of her heat. Her essence is seeping onto the comforter. He inhales her natural fragrance and goes in for a taste, with the lightest lick. She nearly jumps off the bed, but he drapes his right forearm across her stomach and spreads her wide with his left hand.

"My, Livvie", and he begins to feast. He starts slow, licking the inside of her folds.

"My. God." Head tossing from side to side, she curls her toes on the comforter fabric, captivated by the sensation his mouth is providing.

He flattens his tongue and gives her bud a long, slow lick, and her arms flail wildly.

"You like that, Livvie?"

Not expecting an answer, he gives her another long lick, and then sticks his hot tongue into her wet, throbbing channel. He darts his tongue in and out, twisting and swirling it. She's trying to escape the almost unbearable pleasure but he holds her in place. She closes her legs tightly around his head, the sensation is too much. He rocks her bud with his flattened tongue, slurping her juices now coating his face. She's fully engorged so he wraps his soft lips around her sensitive nub and sucks and sucks, sending her on the most glorious journey. She screams with abandon and collapses onto the bed.

He's not done so he crawls up her body and kisses her deeply, sharing her juices. He pushes her legs wider with his knee and strokes her with the head.

"Feels so good, Fitz. So good."

He slowly enters the center of their joy. He pauses because the feeling of being inside of her is overwhelming. He kisses her hard, roaming her mouth with his tongue.

"I never …" he whispers in her ear. Then he starts to grind, nice and slow, beginning to get lost in the ride. Desire stirs in her again. He reaches down and strokes her bud and she opens her legs wider and presses his buttocks, bringing him in deeper. He's stroking long and deep, relishing in the feeling.

"So good, Livvie. Always so fucking good."

They have found the perfect rhythm and are in nirvana. They ride in sync. He begins thrusting harder and harder and she lifts her hips to meet his every move. It's heavenly. He buries his face in her neck and drives deeper and deeper. They give each other the best of them. She bites down hard on the shoulder with the mole and he releases for what seems like forever. He's still hard so he continues grinding slowly. She wraps her legs around his waist, allowing him to go deeper.

"My god, Livvie. I can't get enough of you, baby."

His body is slick with sweat and he glides up her easily, lifting her arms above her head and intertwining their hands. He inhales, reveling in her scent. He licks under her arm, down her side. He sticks his tongue in her navel.

"Fitz …"

He straddles her, lifts her and wraps his arms around her back, holding her close. They look lustfully into each other's eyes and continue the ride. He loves this position. He loves watching her face when he hits the spot and she collapses across his chest.

He's in the most beautiful place ever. The world around them no longer exists. He's stroking deep and long. His veins are creating the most wonderful sensation on her walls. She wraps her arms around his waist and rides him harder, and he comes hard - again. He throws his head back letting his love flow deep into her. He's giddy. His body is electric. He begins to laugh and she begins to laughs, too.

"Husband?" Panting heavily

"Yes, wife?" Smiling drowsily.

"I think – "

"That was the best sex ever." He lay on his back and pulls her into his side. He is so unbelievably happy.

"I think we missed dinner, Fitz."

 **Day 2**

Spooning his wife he gradually regains consciousness. He smiles remembering their wedding and having the best sex of his life last night with his new bride. She's snoring lightly and her hair is wild, he likes when she hasn't had time to wrap her hair. He loves her wild mane. He loves the texture of her hair on his fingers when he strokes it while making love to her. The sight of her with untamed hair causes his desire to rise. He runs his hand up and down her arm and begins kissing her neck, her shoulder, and down her back. He can't get enough of her - his breathing quickens and he rubs his member against her bottom and reaches down to her treasure, stroking her gently.

"Mmmmm", she begins to stir.

He pulls her legs open and she pushes a leg back, opening wider, providing him access. His morning wood slides into her heat and he gasps as she clamps around him. The slow grind begins. He nuzzles his face into her back and cups her breast. He loves morning sex. She writhes with pleasure, pressing her bottom against him, encouraging him to go deeper. She reaches between her legs and rubs her nub while he grinds.

"You feel so good, Livvie", he whispers into her ear. He licks his fingers and replaces her hand with his and massages her nub. She rides his hand while he pumps from behind.

"Oh, my god, Fitz. Right there, baby. Right there." She rides his hand hard, nearing her joy.

"Don't come yet", he whispers. "Not yet."

She nods frantically as he pleasures her with his pulsating rod and wonderful hand. He can ride her like this all day. The feeling is incredible. She screams and her whole body stiffens. Her channel twitches around him. He pulls her closer and pumps faster; reaching that place he loves so much. He feels it building so he squeezes her breast as he shoots his seed.

"Livvie, Livvie, Livvie", he murmurs, savoring the last of his orgasm. He kisses and licks the sweat from her back - her stomach begins to growl. He uses the little strength he has to laugh out loud.

"Is my Livvie hungry?"

"We didn't eat last night. I don't remember the last time I ate, Fitz."

"Olga will send up breakfast shortly", he says, reaching for his phone.

"Fitz, we missed dinner last night. You think she'll be upset?"

"You're so cute", giving her a peck on the nose. "Olga understands. The staff is here to serve your needs."

" _Staff_ _?_ How many people are working here, Fitz?" Mouth wide open.

"Five - six. But they will be invisible. I told Olga I didn't want my wife and I to be disturbed while we're on our honeymoon", grabbing her around the waist and pulling her onto his chest.

"Babe, this house is fantastic."

"I was racking my brain for weeks trying to -"

There's a soft knock at the door.

"Come in", he calls out.

"Fitz, we're not dressed. We just fin -"

Looking straight ahead, an elderly man pushes a cart with an assortment of breakfast foods juices, coffee, and tea.

"Good morning sir, madam. I hope everything is to your liking. If you need anything else -"

"Thank you, Charles." Fitz' stomach is now growling since smelling the wonderful aromas of breakfast foods.

Charles exits the room as quietly as he entered. Olivia is amazed. It's like being at a five-star hotel, but better.

"Let's eat!" Pulling her from the bed.

She grabs the shirt he wore yesterday from the floor and slips it on. He finds his boxers somewhere. He pulls out one of the plush upholstered chairs so she can sit at the table.

"Sit. Eat", planting a kiss on her cheek.

"Everything looks wonderful, Fitz."

"I love you, Mrs. Grant", smiling broadly.

With an even bigger smile, "I love you too, Mr. Grant."

"Fitz, this is so good. Did Olga do all of this?"

"She's fantastic", spreading jam on his toast.

"So, is this where your addiction started?" Laughing with a hand covering her mouth.

He looks at her; he has no idea what has her so tickled.

"Babe", pointing to his toast. "The jam. I swear you're addicted to that stuff."

"I love it. It's homemade. Olga made it all the time when I was a kid - strawberry, boysenberry, peach ..."

"Is that why you didn't know how to cook until you met me?"

"Never had to."

"Well babe, I must admit, your cooking has gotten much better. I didn't think I was going to survive it for a while."

"I like cooking, Liv. I know I'm no Olga, but I really enjoy it."

"Well, after eating Olga's cooking, it's apparent I'm no Olga either", she says somewhat sadly.

"I love your cooking, babe. I love you", lifting her hand and kissing her ring.

"Thank you, baby, you're so sweet."

"So, what do you want to do today?" Digging into his waffles.

"You're spoiled. Olga has spoiled you."

"What are you talking about?" Staring at her curiously.

"Waffles. I only make you waffles on the weekend. Olga seems to make them for you whenever.

"Is my wife jealous of my food relationship with 72-year-old Olga?" He teases.

"She's wonderful, Fitz. I can't -"

"Nor do I want you to. I married you, not Olga. I love you. I love your cooking because of you! Now, what do you want to do today?"

"There is so much to see. Your home is so big."

Setting his fork on the plate, he looks at her pointedly. "Liv, you are my wife. Everything I have is yours. This house is now your home. OK?"

"OK", she says softly, looking down at the napkin in her lap.

"The staff knows you are my wife and they will treat you accordingly. They will fulfill any request you have. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable in your own home. Okay?"

She gets up from her chair and straddles him, kissing him and grazing his scalp with her finger nails.

"OK. And baby, I need to shower. You wanna join me?"

Placing kisses over her face, "I would love to join you but I have a few things to prepare for us. Rain check?"

"Rain check."

The spa-like master bathroom has double vanities with granite counters and heated flooring. There is a whirlpool tub with jets and a separate steam shower. She sees all of her products on the counter and smiles. He's thought of everything.

Walking from the bathroom after a long, hot shower she's drying her hair with a fluffy white Egyptian cotton towel.

"Babe", looking around the room. "Your bedroom is as large as our apartment, not that I got a chance to see much of it last night. I love the tall windows. They're so wide and let in so much natural light. Where do these glass-paneled doors lead?"

"Terrace", looking at something on his phone.

She walks out onto the terrace and is overcome by the magnificent view of the mountains and rolling hills.

"Fitz, this view is incredible. I want to go for a walk - take it all in."

"Leave your hair like that", he says, walking behind her.

"What?"

"I like your hair curly", wrapping his arms around her waist, pressing her against the railing.

"You never -"

"I love it."

"OK", smiling brightly.

"So, what do you want to do today?"

"I want to go for a walk around the grounds."

"Anything else?"

I want to see both pools and go for a swim."

"Anything else?" Untying the belt on her robe.

"I want to see the horses, too. I want to see everything, Fitz."

"OK", kissing down her neck. "Do you want to ride? Reaching inside her robe to stroke her joy spot.

"Yes, yes."

 **XXX**

"Fitz I'm going to need to get some clothes. I didn't bring much of anything because I didn't _know_ where we were going", she looks at him smiling.

"Closet", pointing behind her.

"Babe, you've thought of everything", spinning around in the walk-in closet large enough to accommodate both their clothes and then some.

"When did you have time to do all of this? Where did you get the clothes?"

"I told you I had everything under control. You do recall I once spent a whole day shopping with you, going from store to store. I know what you like. You must learn to trust me Mrs. Grant."

"I will. I do, Mr. Grant."

 **XXX**

Fitz drove the golf cart to the stables so Olivia could see the horses. He rode a lot as a child, but after things changed, he stopped riding. Desper, the stable hand, maintained the stables and horses, paying particular attention to Old Beau, Fitz' favorite stallion. Old Beau was put out to pasture years ago. He came from good stock and has sired a great line of horses over the years.

"Fitz, I was expecting a little barn. This is - this is incredible", looking around, trying to take in the scenery.

"My family loves horses. Our children will love horses, too", giving her a wicked smile.

The equestrian boarding barn has six stalls, a tack room, wash stalls, and two grooming stalls. The other buildings have a full court dressage indoor arena, with attached viewing room; and a storage barn for hay, shavings, and feed. There's also an outdoor dressage full court arena with viewing terrace as well as parking and circulation space.

Desper is exiting the barn with a filly in tow as Fitz and Olivia ride up in the golf cart.

"Desper!" Fitz shouts, getting out of the cart and grabbing Olivia's hand. The two men hug.

"Desper, it's good to see you. It's been awhile."

Desper grabs Fitz into a huge hug and pats him on the back vigorously. "It's been too long, Fitzy. Old Beau misses you. We all miss you around here."

"I miss everyone too. Desper, this is my wife, Olivia. We were married three days ago so I decided we would spend our honeymoon here at the ranch", he looks at his wife and smiles.

Desper eyes Olivia. "Ma'am, congratulations and welcome to the ranch." Tipping his hat. "Fitzy is a good one", he adds.

Walking towards Desper, Olivia extends her hand. "It's good to meet you, Desper. The stables are absolutely beautiful."

"The Grants are horse people, ma'am. Do you ride?"

Fitz walks behind Olivia and wraps his arms around her waist. "Not yet, Desper, but I plan to change that before we leave."

"I don't know, babe. They're beautiful horses, but they're so big."

"Desper will find one that's right for you", kissing her neck.

"There's Lovey, a nice little colt that would be perfect for you, ma'am. Let me know when you want me to saddle him up for ya."

"I'll think about it, Desper. I'll think about it."

 **Day 3**

"Babe, the water feels wonderful. I can swim in here all day." Olivia swims laps in the outdoor Olympic-size pool as Fitz sits on the edge of the pool, feet dangling in the water.

"You're really good."

"I am. I joined the swim team while at GW. I haven't been swimming in so long. This feels good."

He slips into the water and swims over to where she's floating on her back. Face to face he grins at her stupidly, like a man who is unashamedly in love. He grabs her around the waist and begins kissing her passionately. His tongue is in her mouth, making love to her in one of the ways he enjoys most. She wraps her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, smiling as stupidly as he. They are so in love.

"I love you Mrs. Grant, more than anything in this world."

Laying on the chaise lounges surrounding the pool, she's wearing oversized sunglasses and the skimpy white bikini he bought her.

"Babe, I think this California air is keeping you horny. If you don't stop I won't be able to walk straight. Lord, I don't want to know what Olga and Charles are thinking."

"Come lay with me."

"Be good, Fitz. We just -"

"I am. I'll be _real_ good", he grins mischievously.

"Olga or Charles or someone else might see us."

"No one can see us down here, pointing to the redwoods. Trust me."

 **XXX**

"We cannot miss another one of Olga's wonderful dinners again tonight, babe. I know this is our honeymoon, but I think we're being rude. She goes to so much trouble preparing fabulous dinners for us and we haven't eaten one in two days. I feel horrible."

"Olga understands", walking behind her as she looks in the mirror applying her lipstick.

"You keep saying that, Fitz, but it's still rude. We will eat dinner downstairs tonight."

The main dining room also has hardwood flooring and includes custom wood and a treated ceiling. There are five huge windows for large natural lighting, as well as glass-paned doors that lead to the patio and courtyard. The room also leads to a small butler's pantry where Olga passes through occasionally. Another huge crystal chandelier hangs over the dining room table. Olivia has never seen so many chandeliers in one space. A long buffet lines one wall and the tallest fireplace ever surrounded by marble graces another wall. The wall art is exquisite. An art lover definitely has selected the pieces. The house is filled with all kinds of paintings and statues.

"This is such a beautiful room, babe. The table looks wonderful. Olga has really outdone herself. I'm starved", sitting down after he pulls out her seat. He sits to her right.

"Babe, I haven't seen much of the interior of the house yet. You have to give me a full tour tomorrow. We leave in three days." She says, sipping her wine.

He shifts nervously in his seat then walks over to the bar and pours himself another drink. He's been trying to avoid this all week by keeping her busy with other activities. He doesn't want to open any old doors.

"Babe, are you okay?" She looks up since he did not respond.

"Fine. I'm fine", he smiles weakly.

After dinner they sit hand and hand on the white wrap-around porch, swinging. The moon lights the sky and the property with a bright, white glow.

"If I keep eating Olga's cooking I'm going to get fat, babe. Will you still love me when I'm fat?" Looking at him dreamily.

He pulls her into his lap. "I'll love you forever", squeezing her bottom. "And I'll love this even more", rubbing her bottom more sensually.

"Incorrigible", she swats him on the shoulder.

"What? You know how much I love your ass."

Inhaling deeply, "What's that smell, babe?"

"Pine. That's the one thing I miss - the smell of pine from the redwoods."

"It smells wonderful. The landscaping here is absolutely beautiful. I bet this place is gorgeous in autumn, with the bold intense oranges, reds, yellows ..."

He rubs her arm and kisses her cheek. "Since we're not actually on the coast, we can get almost three months of fall color, depending on the elevation. Not like back east - if you blink it's gone. The colors start in August at about 10,000 feet and drops elevation by elevation at a rate of 500 to 1,000 feet a week. The colors vary in intensity by elevation and time of peak."

She leans back and looks at him astonished. "Babe, I didn't know you were a leaf peeper."

"I'm not, or wasn't until I met you. I researched the foliage change around here because I know how much you love autumn."

Tears fill her eyes. Her heart is so full of love for him. "Aww, babe. You're so sweet", pecking him on the lips. "And, you're such a good researcher, too. I can't believe how proficient you've gotten in searching the Internet. Amy has taught you well."

"Are you enjoying yourself? Would you rather have gone someplace more traditional?"

" _No!_ Your - our home is the perfect place to honeymoon. We have everything we need, all kinds of things to do, and the privacy... This is terrific, babe. I can stay here forever."

He rubs her arm and kisses the top of her head. "We can do that - stay here forever."

"Fitz ... I didn't -"

"It's an option, babe. Just think about it. Okay?"

"OK. But I don't have to think about hitting the gym in the morning. I've eaten so much food since we've been here; I know I've gained a few pounds. Olga is too good."

"Oma is wonderful", he whispers softly in her hair.

 **Day 4**

She's leaning against his chest in the huge whirlpool bathtub listening to the smooth music flowing through the speakers. "Babe, I am so happy. You really outdid yourself in planning our honeymoon. This is so much better than any resort you could have selected. I love it here. I love you." She's grazing her finger nails up and down his leg.

"I'm glad. I was racking my brain for weeks trying to find the perfect destination for us. And, honestly, babe, I couldn't come up with anything that I thought worked for us. I couldn't sleep – for many nights, Liv."

"Oh, Fitz. You should have told me. I had my suspicions but I didn't want to push."

"One night, actually one morning, the idea hit me. I realized I hadn't been to the ranch in years, since …. I knew I wanted to share my childhood home with you", kissing her shoulder. "So I contacted Olga and had her make all of the arrangements."

"Olga is wonderful, babe. Everyone here is wonderful. You should have invited them to our wedding."

"I did, but they wanted to stay here and prepare the house for us. They thought this would be the biggest gift they could give us."

"Oh, babe, that was so sweet of them. Everything is wonderful. I love it. I hate that we have to go back home."

Silence.

Cupping her left breast and kissing her the top of her head, he asks. "How would you feel if we lived here – moved here? I know we touched on the idea briefly."

"Babe …"

"I know this is sudden, but think about it. Being back home has stirred so many memories – feelings in me."

"Talk to me, babe. What's going on?"

He wraps his legs around hers and leans back into the tub.

"Liv, this house holds so many memories for me – good and bad. I've run away from all of them for years. I've not been here for years – since mom died. It was painful, Liv."

She rubs his thigh.

"My mom, dad, and I had so many great memories here when I was a kid. When they both were gone I had no desire to ever see this place again. I kept it because it's been in our family for generations. I also wanted to give Olga, Desper, and the rest of the staff …."

She turns to straddle him, placing her hands on the sides of his face. She kisses the lone tear rolling down his face.

"Babe, while I love being here with you, I'm so sorry it's been a painful experience for you."

"That's just it, Liv. It's not been painful. Having you here has bought this place back to life. While I can't have the life I had with my family, I think we can create a new life here, with our family. I'm not expecting an answer now, Liv. Like I said, I want you to think about it. I can see us raising five kids here - growing old here. It's a perfect place to raise a family."

"Wait a minute, mister. Where did five come from? You said four – one boy, three girls", lifting his hand and kissing his fingers.

"I didn't think you'd catch that", he said laughing.

"We have a lot to consider, Fitz. We're just getting the business off the ground."

"I know. Just think about it, okay?"

"OK."

 **Day 5**

The day before they are scheduled to leave Santa Barbara, Fitz gives Olivia a tour of the entire house. Starting on the lower level he shows her the movie theater, the work-out area she used, and another entertainment area. On the first level he shows her the second dining room, the sitting room, his father's study and library. He takes her to the huge kitchen where Olga is preparing their final dinner.

The kitchen is amazing and will please cooks of all skill levels. The room includes granite counters and tile backsplash. There is also a large center island with ample room for multiple people to work. It's also equipped with commercial grade appliances, including a refrigerator with a cabinet front, a five-burner gas cooktop and a warming drawer.

"Oma", Fitz gives the old woman a kiss on her cheek. "Thank you for everything. Your food is as wonderful as ever." Fitz says squeezing the woman's shoulder.

"Liebchen, I know you always have an appetite."

"Thank you, Olga", Olivia says walking to the older woman. You have been so kind and generous to us – to me. I will never forget your kindness." Liv kisses the old woman on the same cheek her husband kissed her.

"Thank you, ma' – Olivia. You make our Fitzy so happy and I am grateful to you for that."

Smiling broadly, Fitz kisses the old woman on the cheek again.

"Olivia, I have something for you", reaching into her apron pocket and pulling out cards wrapped in lavender-colored ribbons. "These are the recipes for Fitzy's favorite meals. I give them to you so I will know he is being well taken care of."

Tears roll down Olivia's face and she hugs Olga again. "Thank you, Olga. I'll take good care of him."

 **XXX**

Fitz takes Olivia to the west wing of the second floor, where his parent's bedroom and a nursery are. He hasn't been to this part of the house in years. Olivia watches his body tense as he walks them to the west side of the house.

"Babe, are you okay?"

He's silent. He squeezes her hand and pushes forward.

"I've not been to this side of the house …"

She understands and squeezes his hand. He opens a door revealing what appears to have been a nursery at some point. They walk in slowly, hand and hand. It was clear the room has not been lived in for quite some time, but it has been maintained over the years. Standing in the middle of the room, Fitz looks around the fully furnished nursery.

"My sister died in this room at three years old. I was 11 at the time. She was sick from birth. My parents were deeply affected by Sarah's death. Although they tried to continue on, I felt I lost my parents when Sarah died. They tried to be somewhat active in my life, Liv, but things were – they were just different."

She rubs her hand down his arm.

He takes her to his parents' bedroom suite, the room in which his father died from a massive heart attack. Although the room has obviously been maintained, it is dark and cold, exuding a deep sadness.

He then takes her to the bedroom where his mother moved to after her husband died. Unable to inhabit the room where they shared decades of love and intimacy, she moved down the hall to her new abode. This is the room where Catherine Grant languished in deep depression after her husband died, the room in which she missed much of her son's formative years.

It is a lovely, large room, but so many years later it still exudes so much sadness. Like the other bedrooms it has been maintained over the years.

Fitz is clearly affected by opening doors he had closed long ago. He needed to do this, though. He needed to unlock the doors that kept a part of him locked away. He is happy he could open the doors with his wife. She kisses him as they stand in his mother's room, tears rolling down his face.

"Let's go home, husband."

He nods, feeling renewed.

 **Day 6**

Olivia waits outside on the front porch, taking in the incredibly beautiful landscape, inhaling the pine. This has to be one of the most beautiful places in the world, she thinks. Olivia went onto the porch to give Fitz and Olga time alone to say their good-byes. Olivia recognized there is a special bond between her husband and the old woman.

With tears in her eyes, Olga cups Fitz' face, smiling. "She's a good woman, mein geliebter (my beloved). She is good for you."

"Yes, she is Oma. I love her deeply."

"She makes you happy."

"She makes me extremely happy, Oma."

"You deserve happiness, Fitzy. Never let anyone or anything break the bond you have with your wife. You and she are now one."

"I love you, Oma. Thank you for always being here for me.", tears brimming his eyes.

"Now Olivia will be there for you, will take care of you. Be happy even during hard times. OK?"

"OK."

"Now go and make me some babies. You sure had much practice while here", she smiles brightly.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** I don't own anything related to Scandal. Enjoy, and thanks for continuing to read this story.

 **Chapter 12**

Fitz and Olivia walk hand and hand into the GranPo small offices after making out in the elevator for 10 minutes. They have been back from their honeymoon for two days and they can't seem keep their hands off each other. Life is really good.

As the newlyweds enter the GranPo outer office, Amy runs to them with tablet in hand. "Mr., Mrs. Grant", Amy says excitedly. "I have terrific news - we have terrific news", shaking her tablet at them.

They both smile. Amy is so energetic - always amped up. They're going to have to stop the free coffee Fitz thinks, looking at the young woman. Fitz puts a hand up in an attempt to slow down Amy.

"Good morning, Amy. How are you? We're fine. We had a terrific time on our honeymoon."

Olivia squeezes her husband's hand because she knows he's ribbing Amy and she doesn't realize it. Eyes bulging and bringing a hand to her mouth, Amy turns a shade of red Olivia has never seen. Looking from Fitz to Olivia close to tears, "I'm sorry Mr. Grant, Mrs. Grant. I was so excited... Good morning and welcome back. How was your honeymoon?"

Fitz is still astonished how fast the woman speaks. He shakes his head in wonderment. Olivia steps in to save poor Amy.

"Amy, we had a lovely honeymoon", smiling up at her husband. "What has you so excited this morning?"

Amy angles her body between Fitz and Olivia, putting an end to their hand holding. Fitz shakes his head.

"This!" Pointing to her tablet screen.

"What's this, Amy?" Olivia asks kindly.

"It's your song - the one Christian and Domi sang at your wedding!"

"How did our wedding song get on the Internet?" Fitz asks, looking at the screen intently.

"It's gone viral in a week - over a million hits. Everybody's talking about it on social media. Everybody wants it for their wedding! Even people who aren't getting married want it!"

"Oh my god", Olivia says with a hand to her lips, recalling their wedding day.

"Isn't this terrific?" Amy booms.

"Amy …" Fitz says slowly, trying to calm down the woman and get her attention. "Amy, how did our wedding ceremony get online?"

"I videotaped the whole thing, Mr. Grant and posted it to all of my social media accounts", she says quickly. "It was such a beautiful ceremony", smiling dreamily at the couple. "You looked absolutely beautiful, Mrs. Grant."

Liv is still staring at their wedding playing before her eyes, tears forming. She's in a haze. Fitz is growing livid.

"Amy, you had no right to post our wedding online without our permission. That was a private day, not intended to be shared with the world", he says harshly.

Amy is crestfallen, and the tears begin to flow. "I'm sorry, Mr. Grant", trying speak through the tears. I didn't think it would be a big deal, everybody posts everything."

Softening his tone since Amy is now red-faced and crying, he starts again. "Amy, you should have asked Mrs. Grant or myself before you did this."

Hearing sniffling, Olivia finally comes out of her haze and tries to comfort a shaken Amy who clearly thinks Mr. Grant is going to kill her. "Don't cry, Amy", stroking her back. You did nothing wrong. Okay?" Handing her a tissue.

Fitz rolls his eyes. Amy sneaks a peek at Mr. Grant as she blows her nose.

"OK. But, Mr. Grant is -"

"Fine. Right?" Giving Fitz a sharp look.

Fitz sighs. "Everything is fine, Amy", patting the young woman on the shoulder.

"Go wash your face, Amy. Mr. Grant and I are going to our office."

Amy nods her head and starts walking to the small bathroom, then stops and turns around. "But what about the million hits?"

 **XXX**

"Liv, that woman is going to be the death of me", pulling off his coat and hanging it on the rack.

Olivia walks to the window and pulls up the shade, letting the sun flood the small office.

Sitting down at the desk he continues. "She talks too fast, Liv. I rarely know what she's saying. And now she does this - posts our entire wedding to all of her social media. I'm not sure -"

"Calm down, babe. You're getting yourself all worked up", walking around the desk, sitting in his lap, and giving him a light peck on the lips. Grazing her finger nails through the hairs at the nape of his neck, she continues. "Amy only did what all millenials do - hell what everybody does. No one gets permission to post anything, babe. You can no longer assume you have privacy, even at a private event. Smartphones are everywhere - that's the world we're trying to tap into."

He leans back in the chair, pulling her with him. The light bulb goes off, finally. " _A million hits_?"

" _A million hits_ ", smiling and nodding her head. " _In one week._ "

"That's incredible", he says in awe, running a hand through his hair. "I think I owe Amy an apology."

"I think you owe Amy an apology", kissing him on the lips. Patting his cheek she stands to go check on Amy.

 **XXX**

It's now August, four months since Olivia and Fitz honeymooned at the ranch in Santa Barbara. It seems so long ago because the business is growing rapidly and they've hardly had time to enjoy being newlyweds.

"I think we're going to need another honeymoon, babe", sitting at her little desk in the corner of the office they share. "Things are really beginning to pick up around here. I'm beginning to feel a little drained."

Fitz sits with a foot propped on the edge of the relatively larger desk analyzing the spreadsheets and trend charts indicating the financial performance of GranPo. He got the larger desk because he still prefers hard copies of the financial reports and likes to spread his paper documents over the desk when evaluating the data. He looks up from the document in his hand and smiles.

"Are you saying -?"

" _I'm saying_ , the business is beginning to do well. The Christian and Domi video put us on the map. Christian and Domi are booked to tour until the end of the year. New artists are now seeking us out - we have a nice pipeline. We don't have to advertise because people come to our site regularly to check out the new artists and to see where they're going to be performing. It's hard to believe the business is growing so quickly."

"Fitz, we've worked hard to build our business and I know we still have a ways to go, but babe, we have been working 15- to 16-hour days for quite some time now. We get home at night and crash. I just don't want us to lose us while we build our business. That's all I'm saying. Whether we're here or in Santa Barbara, I just want us to always remember to put us first."

"Let's go away this weekend", he says quickly, standing from his chair and walking over to his wife. He pulls her from her tiny chair and wraps his arms around her waist, smiling lovingly.

"Fitz, we can't go all the way to California just for the weekend."

"I'm not talking about Santa Barbara", rubbing his hand up and down her bottom.

"Babe, don't tell me you have _another_ house somewhere I don't know about?"

"No, I don't have _another_ house somewhere you don't know about, smarty pants. Leo and Abby have a place at the lake. They always said I could use it whenever I wanted. How about it, are you game for a weekend at the lake?"

 **XXX**

"I want to taste you, Livvie." She nods and closes her eyes as he slides a pillow under her bottom, exposing her sweetness to him. He moves down her body and inhales deeply. He loves her essence.

"I love you, Livvie. I love the way you taste." He plants wet kisses on her other lips and he rubs his nose slowly up and down her nub, as her juices glaze his face. He begins to feast - licking and sucking as if she were his last supper. Her nectar drives him wild, he'll never get enough of his favorite meal. His rod is now rock hard and he's leaking down the inside of his thigh. She wraps her legs around his back and begins moving up and down his face.

"Fitz. Oh my god, Fitz, you're killing me."

"You want me to stop? I can stop if you want." He says huskily, spreading her inner lips and dipping his tongue in and out.

"No, don't stop. Please, don't stop." His mouth is wonderful; the feeling is euphoric.

He's glad because he didn't want to stop. He can't stop pleasuring his wife in one of the ways he enjoys most. He licks her sensitive bud with the tip of his tongue until her trembling legs fall from his back and onto the bed. He slides up her stomach, aligns his throbbing rod with her heat, and glides in. Her walls clamp around him and he thickens. He nestles his head in the crook of her neck and goes to work - stroking deep and long. He closes his eyes, enjoying the wetness and tightness that is her. She opens her mouth and he plunges his tongue in sync with his pumping member. He's in the zone, and she knows it. She wraps her hands around his firm ass, pulling him in deeper - falling into his rhythm. They're fucking now, lost completely in each other.

"Come for me, Livvie", he whispers through labored breath.

She lifts her hips and he goes deeper, his veins massaging her walls gloriously.

"Just like that, Fitz. Right there, baby", she moans, riding his hardness - relishing in the pleasure her husband knows how to bestow.

Then he hits the spot and she freezes, crying out in pleasure. Her nails break the skin on his back and he smiles, continuing to thrust. He strokes harder and harder and his balls tighten as they glide against the smooth cotton sheets. The pain and the ecstasy overwhelm him and he comes hard, shivering and jerking uncontrollably.

"Ahhh", he moans with a pained expression, grinding as his semen flows deep into her channel. His dick feels so damn good. She feels so damn good. For a long while they lay in each other's arms, sticky and completely satisfied. Sometimes they fuck so hard they think they are going to die. After a few minutes of recovery, Olivia begins to stroke his leg with her foot.

"What do you want, Liv?" He asks lazily, not a tense muscle in his body.

"I don't know what you're talking about", she says, trying to sound offended.

"Liv, you only rub my leg with your foot after sex when you want something. So I ask again, _what do you want_?"

"I hate you", she says playfully, rubbing her hand up and down his chest. Not wanting him to be right, she lets a few more minutes pass before answering. "Fitz, I'm hot, can you turn on the air?"

"Babe, I'm finding it really difficult to move right now."

She runs her foot up and down his leg again. He sighs and crawls from the bed on wobbly legs in search of the thermostat.

"You owe me", he yells on his way to the family room. When Olivia hears the air conditioner starts, she smiles, thinking how much she loves that man.

"Food. I got us food", he says carrying a tray of goodies as he walks back into the bedroom.

"Yay", she says, smiling and rubbing her hands together.

"I know you, Liv, as soon as I start to relax you'll rub my leg and ask me to get you something to eat and drink."

She sits up, not bothering to wrap the sheet around her breasts, and pats the bed for him to set down the tray of food. "Wine, cheese, crackers, grapes … You're too good to me, baby."

"You still owe me", he says, plopping onto the bed and grabbing a piece of cheese.

Through bites she asks, "Babe, I've been meaning to ask, who is the new guy in the office? I've seen him around for a few days but I don't know who he is. Did you hire someone new?"

"That's Jon. He's a friend of Davi. Amy said he was looking to get involved in the business and wanted some work. He and Davi belong to the same musician's club, apparently."

She holds the grapes by the stem and dangles them over his mouth. He opens his mouth and grabs a few grapes with his teeth.

"Babe, we can't afford another employee yet. I know we're doing better –"

"I told him we weren't hiring – couldn't offer him a job", he says while chewing the grapes. But he said he is willing to volunteer a few days a week. Apparently he just wants the experience", taking a sip of wine.

"That's interesting. Does he not need the income?"

"Don't know, didn't ask. I'm just happy to have an extra pair of hands around the office to help out."

"If he's a musician has he asked to be signed by us?"

"No more questions." He feeds her a cracker and licks and kisses the crumbs from her mouth. His desire starts to rise again.

 **XXX**

They decide to go on a hike early the next morning before it got too hot. The sun is high in the sky so they follow the trail Leo told Fitz to take, it's one of the less rugged trails in the area. There is so much lush, green foliage along the trail and all kinds of plant life. Bugs and insects of all sorts scurry about them on the ground and in the air. Birds soar through the sky and perch high in the trees. Two miles into their hike Olivia suggests they take a break so they sit on a huge boulder, providing them a view across the lake.

"This is a beautiful view, Liv. I'm glad you suggested we get away", looking across the lake. "You're right, we should never let the business or anything else come between us. It's not worth it. You know, Oma told me the same thing."

" _She did?"_ Looking at him in surprise.

"She did. On the last day of our honeymoon she told me you were the right woman for me and not to ever let anyone or anything come between us."

" _Aww_ , that was so sweet of her, baby. I love Olga."

"Liv, I would have worked 24 hours a day to make our business a success. I know we've been putting in a lot of hours but that's what it takes to get a new business off the ground. I know we haven't been spending a lot of quality time together, but I wanted GranPo to be my gift to you. I knew how important getting the business started was to you, so it was important to me, too. I wanted to use everything within me to make it a success for you."

She slides over on the boulder and gives him a deep kiss. "Do you know how much I love you, Fitz – with all of my heart? There was a time when I found it difficult to say, and now I can't seem to stop saying it", smiling at him shyly. She rests her head on his shoulder as they watch the boats sail across the lake.

"Fitz, I wanted this business to be a success for you as much as for me. I know how much you gave up for me."

With knitted brows, he looks at her curiously.

She sits up straight and takes his hand in hers. "Fitz, I know what happened between you and Cyrus. I know he said some horrible things about me. I know that's why you resigned – why you walked away from the President/CEO position." 

"How do you -?"

Looking into his questioning eyes, "It doesn't matter how I know. I just want you to know that I love you more than anything in this world. I am _so_ touched that you put everything on the line for me. And I will spend every day of the rest of my life loving you. I know GranPo isn't what you're used to. You could have found another executive position anywhere, I know that. And I know I haven't said how grateful I am to you, for using your Harvard trained mind to make our business a success. Thank you baby, for everything", kissing him on the lips.

Holding the back of her neck with his left hand, he pulls her close and deepens the kiss. She wraps an arm around his waist, laying her head back on his shoulder. "Liv, I never wanted you to know about those things Cyrus said."

"I know. I know", rubbing her hand up and down his back.

"I love you and I don't regret any of my decisions. I would do it all again if I had to. I will never let anyone say or do anything to hurt you. You are the most important person in my life and I will always protect you with all that I have."

She smiles at him with all the love in her and swipes the dripping sweat from his nose with her index finger. "Babe …" She purrs, smiling up at him.

"I know. I know. You're getting hot", finishing her sentence and shaking his head.

They walk back to the cabin along the trail that runs parallel to the lake. They've hiked for a few hours and the sun is now at full intensity. They are both drenched with sweat.

"Let's go skinny dipping, Fitz?"

"You don't have to ask me twice", grinning mischievously.

They jump into lake hand and hand, reveling in the coolness of the water.

 **XXX**

Olivia enters GranPo alone for the first time since they opened their office six months ago. Fitz is at home in bed with a stomach bug. She wanted to stay home and play nurse for him but he insisted she go into the office and handle some pressing business. Olivia greets everyone as she strolls through the outer office. Amy waves because she's on her phone. On the way to their office Olivia sees the new guy, Jon, and decides to introduce herself. She walks over to the young man sitting at a small table reading something on his laptop.

"Jon? Hello, I'm Olivia Grant, Fitz' wife." She extends her hand and smiles kindly. "My husband told me you're volunteering at GranPo to get some experience in the industry?"

"Hi, Mrs. Grant", standing from the small chair to shake Olivia's hand. "Yeah, Fitz – cool name by the way – is allowing me to volunteer so I can get some experience. I'm a friend of Davi."

"I see. So what are you doing – what do you do here?"

"Well, right now Amy has me researching some potential new artists – checking to see if their stuff is truly original and not ripped off from someone else. A lot of people do that. We don't need that kind of problem."

"You're right, Jon. Thank you", she says, smiling warmly.

"You just don't know who you can trust these days" he says smiling. "By the way, I'm also a jazz musician. I mix it up with the new age stuff Davi is into. We've played a few gigs together, fusing our different styles."

"That sounds terrific, Jon. Well, thank you for volunteering. We can use the extra help since we're still trying to get our business off the ground. Take care", she says, walking to her office.

"I understand, Mrs. Grant. It's not like you're The Beene Group or anything."

Jon's words stop Olivia in her tracks. For a brief moment she panics and she doesn't quite understand why.

Olivia sits at Fitz' desk and looks at the small clock, wondering where the morning has gone. She picks up her phone to call her husband, hoping she isn't waking him.

"Hi", he says groggily.

"Hi", she says, smiling and squirming in her chair while twisting a curl around her finger. His voice still gets to her. "Did I wake you, babe?"

"No. no", he says yawing.

"Liar. I'm sorry. I just wanted to check on you – to see how you're feeling."

"Liv, I've been running back and forth to the bathroom all morning. I wonder when this medicine is going to kick in?"

"Poor baby. I am so sorry you have a stomach bug, but I'm _so_ glad I don't have it. Do you need anything? Can I bring you something home?"

"No, I have all I need", looking at everything she left on his nightstand before she went to the office that morning. "How are you? How are things going at the office?"

"Everything's fine, babe …"

"Liv, what's wrong?" He knows her so well.

"Well I don't want to go into it now, but something strange happened today with the new guy, Jon."

"Oh?" Now sitting up straight. "What happened? Did he -?"

"No, no. Nothing like that. Hold on a minute, babe." Amy is standing in the doorway clutching her ever-present tablet to her chest.

"Babe, I have to go – Amy is here. We'll finish talking about this later. Love you."

"Love you, too." He looks at his phone, wondering what's going on at GranPo when another wave of nausea hits him.

 **XXX**

Cyrus Beene is a man of few regrets. He has lived a terrific life, building a successful business over the past 40 years. While he might not have always done things by the book, he always had good intentions, so he's convinced himself. As he sits in his office staring out the floor to ceiling windows, he watches the rain beat against the windows. He hates summer storms. He hates a lot lately. He's been angry for the past nine months. He thought Fitz was just going through a phase and would get over their fall-out. But as time passed, he knew things were different this time. He lost his son and it pains him deeply.

He continues looking out the windows still trying to figure out how things could have gone so terribly wrong. How could the man he considered to be the son he never had turn his back on him? How could he dismiss him as if he were a stranger?

Cyrus was devastated when he learned Fitz and Olivia were married – had gotten married four months ago in April. Although he is not surprised he wasn't invited to the wedding, he's hurt nonetheless. He thought this thing Fitz had with Olivia Pope, now Olivia Grant, was only infatuation. He miscalculated - the second biggest miscalculation of his life.

Fitzgerald Grant was a man in love, madly in love with Olivia Pope, and was willing to give up everything for her. Hell, he gave up everything for her. He couldn't understand Fitz' decision because business was always the most important thing in Cyrus' life. He couldn't understand how Fitz could walk away from the opportunity of a life time, just for love. He shakes his head and continues to stare at the falling rain when his phone begins to ring, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"What do you have for me? What's going on over at GranPo, Jon?" Cyrus asks tersely.

"Well, Mr. Beene, they're really nice people. They really care about the people who work for them. And it's obvious they really love each other", the young man says innocently.

"I'm not paying you to report on their _damn_ HR practices or their love life", Cyrus growls in aggravation. "I want to know what's going on with that business. They're beginning to get some press. Some artists I had my eyes on have decided to sign with them. I need ears and eyes on the inside to let me know if they have a full pipeline. Where are they getting their talent? Are they having problems making the payroll – paying their vendors? That's what I need to know, _Jon_."

"Of course I don't have access to their financials, sir. Fitz manages all of that stuff. But they are making the payroll, at least no one has complained about not getting paid."

Of course Fitz is managing the financials, he's a smart businessman, Cyrus thinks. "Go on. Go on."

"And they're building a nice pipeline of talent, sir – mostly through referrals. That video from their wedding went viral.

Cyrus' lips twitch. "Anything else?" He asks gruffly.

"Sir, I can tell you that while GranPo is growing slowly and new underground artists are interested in their approach, they won't pose a threat to The Beene Group any time soon. They're not in your league, and they know it."

"What do you mean?" Cyrus perks up at Jon's statement.

"Well, I heard Fitz say that he knows they can't compete with the mega entertainment companies like The Beene Group. He also said he and his wife have no interest in going down that road. They like the boutique business they're building."

"Have they ever mentioned me - by name, Jon?" Hope springs eternal.

"No, I don't recall ever hearing them mention your name. Is there anything else, sir?"

Cyrus nods his head slowly for a few moments, pondering what Jon said.

"Just stay on them. Get me more information on their financials. Report back to me when you have something new." Cyrus disconnects the call and tosses his phone across his desk. He's frustrated.

 _Time is running out._

 **XXX**

The apartment is dark when Olivia arrives home. She places her purse on the small table in the foyer and drops her keys into the crystal bowl. After slipping off her shoes she walks down the long hall to their bedroom. The bedroom is also dark and she begins to get nervous. Fitz hadn't picked up his phone the last two times she called so she left work early to check on him. When she turns on the lamp on his nightstand she is horrified. Fitz lay staring blankly and breathing shallowly. He is pale and drenched in sweat. She touches his forehead with the back of her hand, he's burning up with fever.

"Oh, Fitz", she begins to cry. She grabs his phone from the nightstand, knocking over all the medicine and water she left him earlier, and calls 911. She then runs into the bathroom and gets a cool towel for his forehead, she needs to cool him down while waiting for the ambulance.

"Baby. Baby. Talk to me. Talk to me, Fitz! Dear, god", she screams running to the bathroom to get more cold towels. His skin feels like it's on fire.

"Hold on baby. The ambulance is on the way", nervously placing another cool towel on his forehead.

 **XXX**

Olivia paces nervously in the hospital's emergency room, tears rolling down her face. A nurse gives her a cup of water and asks her sit in the waiting room while they run a battery of tests on her husband. But that has been over an hour and no one has come out since to give her an update.

Leo and Abby rush into the waiting room and find Olivia curled up in a chair, crying and shaking uncontrollably. They run over and try to find out what's going on.

" _Leo!_ " Grabbing his arm and looking up at him wild-eyed. "Leo", she cries, sliding to the floor. "They won't tell me anything. He was burning up when I got home. They won't tell me anything, Leo!" Shouting hysterically.

"Hold on, Liv. Hold on", he says nervously. Bewildered by what's going on he pulls Olivia from the floor and Abby helps her back into her seat. "I'll find out what's going on. I'll find out something", he mumbles, pulling out his phone as he walks toward the receptionist's desk.

Abby sits next to her friend trying to console her and find out what has happened to Fitzgerald.

"I shouldn't have left him home alone, Abby. He didn't know who I was. Oh my god, he was so hot. I can't lose him, Abby. I can't lose him." She can't breathe. She's hyperventilating and begins to panic.

"I need you to breathe slowly, Olivia. Slow your breath, damn it!" Olivia continues to hyperventilate so Abby slaps her hard. Olivia freezes at the impact of Abby's hand across her face, then crumbles into her chair. Abby wraps an arm around Olivia. "Shhh. Shhh. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. He's going to be all right, Liv. Fitzgerald is strong and stubborn. He's going to be all right", tears now streaming down her own face.

"But they won't tell me anything", looking frightened into Abby's eyes.

"Leo will find out what's going on. He'll get us some answers. Everything's going to be all right", rubbing her hand up and down Olivia's arm.

Leo returns to the waiting room 15 minutes later after calling his friend Alan, the chief of physicians, who also happens to play racquet ball with him and Fitz, whenever his wife allows it.

"I called Alan, who made a few calls", running his hand through his thinning hair. "They're finishing up the last round of tests on Fitzgerald and are going to admit him tonight so they can figure out what's going on. He should be in his room in another 20 minutes, Liv. Alan doesn't have a diagnosis yet. The doctors need to get the results from the tests."

"Is he all right, Leo?" Looking hopefully into Leo's tense face.

"We're to go upstairs to his room and wait until they bring him down from running tests, Liv. Okay?" Looking at her helplessly.

"You'll go with me?" She asks through tears and in a child-like voice.

"Of course. Of course. We'll be right there with you."

Abby and Leo get Olivia to her feet, wrap their arms around her shoulders, and lead her to the elevator. The receptionist runs after them calling, "Mrs. Grant. Mrs. Grant." The three stop and turn at the calling voice. The receptionist catches up to them, out of breath and clutching her chest. "Mrs. Grant, I'm going to need your insurance card."

Leo gives the silly woman a few choice words then leads Olivia and Abby into the elevator.

 **XXX**

They sit in Fitz' room waiting for him to come down from having the CT scan. Alan requested a private room for Fitz so they wouldn't have to deal with a roommate. Leo and Abby sit on either side of Olivia trying to find out what happened to their old friend Fitzgerald.

"I just don't know what happened, Leo", staring into space. "We thought he just had a stomach bug. I called him throughout the day to check on him but he didn't answer the last two times so I went home and that's when I found him in bed, burning up with fever - drenched in sweat. I will never forgive ..."

"Stop that, Liv. Don't go there", Abby says.

Olivia tents her hands to her face and shakes her head, trying to make sense of what's going on. The door is pushed open and two orderlies roll Fitz in on a gurney. A nurse follows the orderlies into the room. Liv rushes across the room to be near her husband.

"Give us a few minutes to get him in the bed and settled, ma'am", the older orderly says.

Leo places an arm around the shoulder of his best friend's distraught wife and looks on as Fitzgerald is hoisted onto the bed. As the nurse checks all the monitors and intravenous lines, she tells them Fitz will be asleep for another hour or so.

"Do you know what's the matter - what happened?" Olivia asks the nurse nervously.

"Mrs. Grant, the doctors will be in shortly to give you an update", she smiles politely.

As the nurse leaves the room, they all walk over to Fitz' bed. He looks so pale.

" _Baby_ ..." Rubbing her hand up and down his arm, tears streaming down her face again.

Leo and Abby rub Fitz' other arm.

"We're here Fitzgerald", Leo says with tears in his eyes. We're taking care of Liv until you wake up."

"That's right, Fitzgerald", Abby chimes in. "So you better wake up fast. You hear me?" Tears rolling down her face. Leo wraps an arm around his wife's shoulder.

The door opens again and three doctors enter the room.

"Mrs. Grant, I'm Dr. Joshi. I'm the head of the Department of General Surgery", extending his hand. Alan gave me a call and asked that I handle your husband's case."

Olivia nods anxiously, glancing quickly at Leo.

"These are Drs. Rose and Barth. They are residents in the General Surgery program. They will be working with me to manage your husband's case." Olivia shakes Dr. Joshi's hand and smiles weakly at the other two doctors.

"Dr. Joshi, what's wrong with my husband?" Olivia asks again, more nervous – afraid of the answer.

"Mrs. Grant, your husband is severely dehydrated."

"He's been battling a stomach bug all day."

"Well, the vomiting and diarrhea will account for Mr. Grant's dehydration. But those were only symptoms of the underlying problem."

Olivia grips Leo's arm, bracing herself for the worse.

"Mrs. Grant, your husband has a ruptured appendix and a five centimeter, walled off abscess that has formed around the appendix. The likely cause of the abscess is the ruptured appendix."

"Will he need surgery, doctor?" Leo asks anxiously.

"We are going to do everything we can not to go down that road", nodding his head and looking from Leo then to the two women. "We have a new procedure to handle _some_ cases of ruptured appendixes."

Leo nods his head quickly while Olivia and Abby listen intently.

"First we will treat the infection with antibiotics and give Mr. Grant morphine for the pain - to make him more comfortable", looking over at Fitz' intravenous lines. "In a day or so we'll get him downstairs and have the specialist attempt to insert the drain in the abscess. That's the tricky part because sometimes it's not possible to insert the drain because of the location of the abscess and it tends to float around in that part of the body."

Dr. Joshi nods his head again, and gives the trio a slight smile. "Do you have any more questions?" Looking at Olivia, then at Leo and Abby.

"No. Thank you, Dr. Joshi. Thanks to all of you", Olivia says with relief, glancing between the doctors.

"I will update you on the results of the drain procedure in a day or so. I'm sure you'll hear from Alan as well. Good night, Mrs. Grant, sir, madam."

Dr. Barth walks over to check all the lines going into Fitz' body. He checks the monitors as well.

"Is everything all right?" Olivia asks nervously.

Dr. Barth smiles warmly. "Everything's fine, ma'am. I just need to check your husband's fluids."

Leo and Abby left about an hour ago, after they were satisfied their friends were going to be fine. After she gets the boys off to school, Abby will go the apartment and get Olivia a change of clothes.

Olivia lay in the narrow hospital bed with her head on her sleeping husband's chest. She looks out the window watching the sun begin to rise. She thinks about how she almost lost Fitz - he could have died. The tears begin to flow again, drenching the shoulder of his flimsy hospital gown. She tightens her arm around his waist, needing to be as close to her husband as possible.

Fitz begins to stir, groggy from the morphine drip. "Liv?"

"Baby, you're awake", showering his face with kisses.

"Where are we?" He asks weakly.

"We're at the hospital, babe. You were admitted last night."

"Can I have some water?"

 **XXX**

Dr. Joshi determined Fitz did not need surgery because the appendix disintegrated when it ruptured. Fitz was discharged after six days in the hospital, after the infection cleared up and the cyst drained. He is extremely weak and spends most of his time in bed. After three days in bed and Olivia's hovering, he is restless. Liv is doing everything for him and he needs her to stop. She still feels guilty and frightened. He can see the situation is taking its toll on her - playing nurse around the clock, cooking, and managing GranPo is beginning to affect her. She's tired all the time.

Fitz rolls out bed slowly, determined to shave and take a hot shower - alone. Liv has been giving him sponge baths daily and, under normal circumstances, he would have enjoyed that kind of attention, but now he just wants to get out of the damn bed.

After shaving and brushing his teeth, he climbs into the shower, enjoying the hot water pulsating against his achy muscles. He shampoos his hair, lifting his face to the spout, letting the water spray face. Feeling somewhat invigorated, he turns off the water and begins to step out the shower as Olivia comes into the bathroom looking for him.

 _"Fitz, what are you doing out of bed?"_ Running over and grabbing him by the arm. _"If you wanted to shower you should have told me._ _You could have fallen_."

"I'm fine, Livvie", he says weakly, although somewhat energized by the hot shower. He wraps a towel around his waist and pulls another towel from the rack to dry his hair.

"Sit down, Fitz. Let me do that for you", reaching for the towel.

" _No!_ " He said more harshly than he intended. "Livvie", speaking more softly. "I'm fine - getting stronger every day. You gotta let me start doing things for myself, babe. Okay?" He strokes the side of her face and the floodgates open. She shakes her head vigorously from side to side, reaching for the towel to dry his hair.

"No, Fitz. I need to take care of you - be here to make sure you're okay."

He drops the towel to the floor and wraps her in his arms, her tears roll down his chest. He lifts her chin and looks into her eyes, wiping and kissing her tears.

"Liv, baby, I'm going to be fine. I _am_ fine. I'm not going anywhere. You can't spend all of your time watching me - taking care of me. It's not your fault I got sick. It's not your fault that stupid little organ we no longer need in our bodies decided rupture. It's a common -"

"No, Fitz. I should have been here. I left you all alone."

"Don't do this to yourself, Liv. We can't prevent bad things from happening."

"I was so scared, Fitz. You were laying in our bed drenched and burning up with fever. You were just staring. You didn't recognize me. I thought …"

He hugs her again, trying to console her. "I know. I know you were scared and I'm sorry I scared you."

"I can't lose you, Fitz. I wouldn't survive it. I won't. I'd lose my mind."

He cups her face with his hands. "Shhh. Shhh. I'm not going anywhere. Okay?" He kisses her forehead, "Okay?" Looking into her tear-filled eyes.

She nods and wraps her arms more tightly around his waist.

 **XXX**

Amy is holding down things at GranPo while Olivia and Fitz are out of the office. It's August and they're quite busy. All of their artists are getting major reviews online, which is fueling support for their live concert tours. Amy has matured as an employee. She's no longer the anxious, bumbling young woman she was months ago. She's now confident and thorough. Olivia and Fitz are grateful to have her. However, she's going to need more help around the office soon. In the meantime, Jon continues to come into the office three times a week to help. He has progressed from researching artists to booking tour dates and negotiating rates with venues. He's a big help. Amy thinks she might ask the Grants to hire him full time.

"Jon, I need to run to the supply store. Can you hold down the fort while I'm gone? I shouldn't be gone more than an hour."

"Sure. Go ahead, Amy, I got this."

"Are you sure? If you don't think you can handle it -"

"Go. Go", pushing her towards the door. "Like I said, I got this."

"Thanks, Jon. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Jon waves his hand, telling her to go already.

Jon waits 15 minutes to see if Amy is going to return. Many people return within 10 minutes after leaving because they forgot something. After 15 minutes Jon walks into the Grants' office to find the financial information Cyrus Beene needs. Jon doesn't know why Cyrus is so interested in the Grants, but it seems personal because of the kinds of questions he asks sometimes.

Jon begins to feel a little remorseful he's spying on the Grants. After all, they are really nice people who have allowed him the opportunity to work for their company to get the experience he said he wants. He shakes off the sentimental feelings, remembering why he's become Cyrus Beene's snake. Money, it's that simple. He was on the verge of getting evicted from his apartment when Cyrus offered him a "job" after the investigators discovered he had a loose connection with GranPo through his friendship with Davi. Cyrus figured he could exploit their relationship to get him inside of GranPo.

Jon enters the small, sparsely furnished office and looks around. He scans Olivia's small desk, which holds a few pens and pencils in a cup, a few pads of multi-colored post-it notes, and a mug for her tea. No paper here because Olivia stores her documents on her laptop. Jon walks over to Fitz' somewhat larger desk. He also keeps a neat desk: coffee mug, pen holder, a yellow legal pad, and a picture of him and Olivia smiling brightly at their wedding. Jon picks up the frame and examines the photo more closely. It's evident to anyone with eyes these two people are extremely in love.

Jon knows Fitz, unlike his wife, prefers to review his reports on paper, rather than online. He always says he likes the feel of the paper in his hands. Olivia teases him often about his affinity for paper. Jon pulls the middle drawer and it slides open easily. He shakes his head, amazed the man doesn't even lock his desk.

In the bottom-left drawer are hanging file folders. _So old school._ Jon looks through the files and finds one labeled _GranPo Financials (Q1 and Q2)_. He spreads the documents onto Fitz' desk, pulls out his phone, and photographs everything in the folder. He replaces the documents neatly into the folder, returns the folder to the hanging file, and closes the drawer. He looks around the room checking if he left anything out of place before leaving.

Jon goes to his desk and resumes working before Amy returns. He wonders if this is the kind of information Cyrus Beene is looking for.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Thanks everyone for continuing with me on this journey.** _ **Reader575**_ **, Jon has led everyone to believe he's more interested in the back office side of the business – like Fitz. Cyrus probably has something to do with that.** _ **Diamondprencess**_ **, love all of your speculation.** _ **Allaboutpassion**_ **, you crack me up. I never want to cross you. Just to be legal, these characters belong to Shonda. Now back to our story.**

 **Chapter 13**

While Olivia is putting fresh linens on their bed, Fitz sits at the desk in the living, in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, and logs into his laptop. Anxious to get back to work, to be productive again, he starts to review the GranPo financial reports. It's been two weeks since he was discharged from the hospital and, although his strength is slowly returning, his doctor and wife (not exactly in that order) won't allow him to return to work until after his one month follow-up appointment, which is in another two weeks

He studies the latest financial reports and is elated GranPo is finally becoming profitable. He clicks on the Accounts Payables tab to check if there are any outstanding invoices for their vendors. He smiles as he scrolls through the spreadsheet. Liv had finally convinced him to move all of their business documents online, especially his beloved financial reports. She said it was impractical to carry around all of that paper.

Liv comes into the room and plops down onto the sofa.

"Boy am I pooped."

"I told you to slow down, babe. You've been going at it non-stop around here for the past two weeks. Maybe we should think about getting some help?"

"What are you doing over there?" She asks while putting her feet onto the coffee table.

"Reviewing our financials", not looking up from the screen. "Liv, I am so glad I let you talk me into moving all of the paper files for the business onto my laptop. This is so much more practical. I can review and update the data any time and anywhere."

"Told you, babe", she says, resting her head on the sofa cushion.

"Well, when I get back to the office I have to shred all of those old files in my desk drawer. That data is so obsolete."

He walks over to the sofa, sits next to his wife, and places her feet into his lap. He begins to massage her tired feet, eliciting a moan.

"Fitz, that feels so good. You're putting me to sleep", yawning as she curls into his side.

"Tired?" He asks, rubbing her arm.

"I guess I overdid it today. Do you mind if I take a nap? Dinner is on the stove", she says, standing and walking to the bedroom.

"We're getting some help around here. You can't expect to run GranPo and take care of this place, too", he yells after her.

 **XXX**

It's mid-September and Fitz has his follow-up appointment with Dr. Joshi. He's hoping the doctor clears him to go back to work because he's getting cabin fever sitting in their apartment all day. He wants to get back to the office and interact with the staff - even Amy. He smiles because the young woman has actually grown on him. They gave Amy a handsome bonus after the business started making a profit, as modest as it is, it's still a profit. If Amy hadn't posted the video of their wedding on the Internet he doesn't know if GranPo would be as successful so quickly.

He wants to play racquet ball with his best friend. It's been ages since he kicked Leo's butt on the court. He needs to talk to Liv about scheduling dinner with Leo and Abby. He wants to thank them for being there for Liv - for them - over the past month. He is grateful for their friendship.

He wants to make love to his wife. It feels like it's been forever since he was inside her. God he misses her body, tasting every part of her. The thought of being with her begins to stir him so he jumps into the shower to calm down. I must be feeling better he thinks, looking down at his hardening member. He hadn't gotten a rise in weeks. The doctors said the pain medication was the culprit. He would have to talk to Dr. Joshi about when he can be intimate with his wife because Olivia wasn't willing to entertain his attempts to make love.

Fitz walks into the bedroom after showering - drying his hair. He smiles because Olivia is still sleeping. She's been working too hard lately. He'll take her to her favorite sushi place for lunch, after his doctor's appointment.

"Liv, babe, you gotta get up", sitting on her side of the bed, rubbing her arm.

"OK. What time is it?"

"7:42, we have to be at Dr. Joshi's at 9:30."

She sits up, stretches, and yawns.

"Good morning, baby", giving him a kiss on the cheek. I feel like I've been bitten by a tse-tse fly. Did I fall asleep on you again last night?"

"We'll talk about that later. Get dressed while I make us breakfast." He kisses her on the forehead and pats her butt before going to the kitchen.

A half hour later Olivia comes into the kitchen completely dressed. She walks to the island and picks up the mug of her favorite tea Fitz has steeping.

"I thought you could you use a little pick-me-up", pointing to her mug.

"Thank you, baby. This is just what I need. What are you cooking -? _Fitz, what did you put in this tea? Did you add that flavoring you like? This tastes awful"_ , pouring it down the sink.

"Scrambled eggs and toast. That's all we have time for. I'll bite the bullet and take you to lunch at your favorite sushi place after our appointment."

"Yay, I haven't had sushi in like, forever", she smiles in anticipation.

He gives her a peck on the lips, sitting down to eat his eggs. "Anything for you, Livvie. By the way, I didn't put anything in your tea."

 **XXX**

Fitz comes out of the examination room buttoning his shirt. The exam seems to have gone well, but Dr. Joshi will have to give him the clean bill of health. With his legs crossed, Fitz and Olivia sit in the uncomfortable chairs in front of Dr. Joshi's desk holding hands. Nervously he rubs the back of Olivia's hand with his thumb while the doctor reads the chart on his desk. Olivia squeezes his hand gently, holding her breath.

"Well Mr. Grant", Dr. Joshi begins. It seems that you're recuperating nicely. All of your vitals look good - your numbers are all within the normal range. You are a healthy man, sir."

Fitz and Olivia smile and he squeezes her hand. He knows how anxious she's been about his health for the past month and hates she's become a nervous wreck because of him.

"Mr. Grant, I see no reason why you can't resume your normal activities. You can go back to work whenever you like. You own your own business so it's up to you when you decide to return. You can begin your normal physical activities - the gym - you play racquet ball correct?"

"I do", nodding his head and smiling.

"Then you can resume playing whenever you like." Standing from his desk, Dr. Joshi extends his hand to Fitz, then to Olivia, indicating the appointment is over.

Fitz is getting anxious because Dr. Joshi is ending their appointment and he hasn't given Fitz the most important clearance. He needs the doctor to say it in front of his wife because she won't have any part of it unless she hears it from Dr. Joshi.

Olivia grabs her purse and begins to stand. "Thank you, Dr. Joshi, for taking such good care of my husband."

"You're welcome, Mrs. Grant."

Still sitting while Olivia and Dr. Joshi are standing, they both look at him, silently encouraging him to get up.

"Is there anything else, Mr. Grant?" Looking at Fitz curiously.

Olivia watches her husband run his hand through his hair. He's nervous about something she thinks. All eyes are on him as he begins. "Doctor, you talked about all the activities I can resume ... uh, you didn't, uhm mention - well you didn't mention if it is okay to resume relations with my wife", he says quickly - turning a deep shade of red.

Olivia rolls her eyes and Dr. Joshi smiles.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Grant, I didn't mention that specifically. But yes, you're cleared for that activity as well."

On their way to the sushi restaurant Olivia decides she doesn't want sushi after all - she wants Mexican food instead. Fitz does an internal jig because his day is getting better and better. He doesn't have to eat sushi and he can have sex with his wife. Life is good, really good.

 **XXX**

He's leaning back against the bathtub and she relaxes against his chest. It's been a while since they could bathe together. He's happy the sponge baths are over.

"I missed this, Liv. I miss being with you", licking the water from her right shoulder then planting kisses along her neck.

"Me too, Fitz."

Silence.

"What's the matter, babe? You sound kind of sad", wrapping his arms protectively around her.

"Fitz, I know you're better now, but when I found you like that - in our bed, I was so scared", she says softly.

"I know. But I'm all better now. Dr. Joshi confirmed it", massaging her breasts and sucking on her ear.

"But, Fitz, you don't know how frightened I was when I found you like that. Honestly, I've been on pins and needles for the past month. My stomach has been in knots. I can hardly keep anything down."

"Turn around."

She turns and straddles him, looking into his loving eyes, tears ready to fall. He cups her face and kisses each eyelid, then gives her a deep kiss on the lips.

"No more crying, okay? I'm fine."

She nods, leans into him, and lays her head on his shoulder. "Fitz, I thought the universe was conspiring against us - mocking our love. Do you realize it's been a little over a year since we first met at Preggio's?"

He nods, kissing down her neck.

"Fitz, we have come a long way since that horrible day. Hell, we're even married and have a new business. So many wonderful things have happened in my life since I met you. So when you got so sick I thought it was all a cruel joke."

He slides her down his chest, until they are aligned, and kisses her - roaming his tongue in her mouth. He massages her butt and rocks her on his hardening member. She grazes her right hand through the damp hairs at the nape of his neck and opens her legs, letting the warm water wash over her pocket. She strokes his rod and he moans, lifting his buttocks to give her more access. She smiles and lathers soap on her hands and begins to massage slowly up and down his length. He twitches in her hands. She flattens her palm on the head and rubs circles ever so slowly. He's bucking wildly, water splashing over the sides of the tub, onto the floor.

"I need to be in you, Livvie", he pants raggedly. "I've missed you so much."

She takes him in her mouth and begins bobbing her head, sucking him gently then with more fervor. The veins in his rod feel like they're going to burst. She runs her tongue along the veins on the underside, looking up at her husband as he relishes in the pleasure she's bestowing. A little water splashes in her mouth as she takes him in fully.

"Oh my god, Livvie. You're gonna ..."

Closing his eyes tightly, mouth hanging open, he runs his hand through her wet hair that is starting to curl. He grabs the sides of her head and guides her mouth up and down while he pumps. Her mouth feels wonderful and the friction of his balls scraping the bottom of the tub is all so exquisite.

"Make me come, baby. Please, I need to come."

Olivia sucks him hard while he pumps in her mouth.

"Oh, god, Livvie. You feel so good. It's been too long, baby."

She is turned on because he's turned on. She slips her hand between her legs and begins to ride, pleasuring herself while she pleasures him. Fitz thinks it's hot she's taking care of both of them and it causes him to explode in her mouth. His buttocks tense as he continues to release. She moans in sheer delight as she falls over her peak.

Olivia releases him from her mouth with a final lick to his sensitive head, then collapses onto his taut abs. Arms hanging from either side of the tub, Fitz collapses against the back of the tub, completely and thoroughly worked over.

He pulls her up against his chest and kisses her passionately. "I'll love you forever, Livvie."

 **XXX**

Today is like the first day of school for Fitz because he's going back to work after being out for a month, and he is excited. Up at the crack of dawn he showers and dresses quickly. Not wanting to disturb his wife, he tip-toes from their bedroom, down the long hall, and into the kitchen. He starts the coffee maker then goes to the refrigerator to get his favorite jam. Liv has not let him eat it since he got sick. Still not sure why she thinks jam has anything to do with a ruptured appendix, he looks at the jar and smiles. He drops a couple of slices of bread into the toaster and scrambles a few eggs. He glances at his tablet, checking the latest news reports while waiting for the toast. The toast pops up and he grabs them, scrapes the eggs from the frying pan and sits down to feast. He spreads an extraordinary amount of jam on his toast, telling himself he's making up for lost time.

Olivia drags into the kitchen, not looking like she's had a good night's sleep, although she has slept for nine hours.

"Why didn't you wake me, babe? I would have made you breakfast."

"You looked too cute sleeping. Besides, you need your rest."

"I don't know if you noticed, but I was up a couple of times throughout the night. I don't think that Mexican food agreed with me. I'm sticking with my sushi next time."

"You should stay home today and make sure it's all out of your system before going back to work."

"I think you're right", leaning in for a kiss. "Ooh, Fitz. What kind of cologne are you wearing today? It smells awful."

He looks at her like she just sprouted two heads. "Liv, this is the cologne _you_ _insist_ I wear, like every day. You bought it remember?"

"That can't be the same cologne because I love that scent on you. Does cologne spoil?"

He shakes his head. "Go back to bed, baby. I'll call you later." He leans in for a good-bye kiss but Olivia pulls away, unable to tolerate his cologne.

 **XXX**

Abby comes over to the apartment later to check on Olivia because Fitz said she wasn't feeling well. The doorbell rings and Olivia opens the door and sees Abby standing in the hall holding up two bags from Olivia's favorite sushi restaurant.

"Abby, what are you doing here?"

" _Oh my god, Liv, you look awful!_ Fitzgerald called me and said you weren't feeling well and asked me to pick up some of your favorite sushi since you haven't had it in a while."

They walk into the living where Olivia sits on the sofa. Abby takes the bags into the kitchen and sets them on the island. She walks back into the living room where Olivia is sitting and feels her forehead.

"Well, you don't seem to have a temperature. What's going on?"

"I don't know, Abbs. It seems like all I'm able to do these days is sleep. I'm tired all the time", she says weakly.

"What else?"

"Well, my stomach has been in knots ever since Fitz got sick. I can't seem to shake this nervous stomach. I know he's better, but my stomach doesn't seem to know it."

"What else?"

"Abby, are you now a doctor?"

"What else, Liv? I have a lot of experience with sick people around my house. Leo – the boys …"

"Well, all kinds of scents seem to bother me, like your perfume. I want to …." Liv runs to the kitchen sink and releases what little she has in her stomach. Leaning her forearms on the sides of the sink, her stomach continues to retch.

Abby rushes into the kitchen, pulls Olivia's hair up, and rubs her back.

"Liv, you said you've been feeling weird since before Fitzgerald got sick, a little over a month now?" Placing a cold compress on the back of Olivia's neck.

"Yes. I started feeling a little strange a couple of weeks after we got back from the lake. Then Fitz got sick a couple of weeks after that, so I just pushed it all aside."

"You're pregnant", Abby says bluntly.

" _What? How do you know?"_

"Because I've been down that road a couple of times. Sleeping all the time, annoying odors, can't keep your favorite foods down", looking over at the bags of sushi sitting on the island.

"How could this have happened, Abby – when?"

Abby looks at Olivia, who's still slumped over the sink, like she's crazy. "Liv, I don't need to explain to you _how_ it happened, but I can tell you when. It probably happened when you and Fitz went to that _damn_ cabin we have at the lake. Every time Leo takes me there I come back knocked up."

Olivia looks up at her friend and shakes her head. "You should have warned me, Abby", fighting another surge of nausea.

 **XXX**

Olivia stands in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onto the city. The sun is still shining brightly, not a cloud to be seen. It's such a beautiful day. She shakes her head because she cannot believe it. She cannot believe she is actually pregnant. Abby went to the store and bought three different pregnancy tests. She even watched as Olivia used each one, getting the same result each time - positive.

She sips on her ginger tea as he slides his key out the lock, places them into the crystal bowl on the little table in the foyer, and slips off his shoes. She smiles because she loves his routine. She wonders how he's going to respond to the news.

"Honey, I'm home", walking behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, and kissing the side of her neck. "Feeling better?"

"A little", she musters a weak smile. "How was your day? What's happening at the office?"

He walks her over to the sofa and begins telling her all about his day. He's so excited.

"You know, Liv, Amy has become such an asset. I can't believe how well she managed things while we were out. She's not the same young woman we hired months ago. I would like to give her an increase if next month's numbers continue to look good."

Olivia nods.

"And Jon is also doing a great job. We need to determine if we can offer him a full-time position in the future. He's been so helpful to Amy over the last month - he's a quick learner. Amy is really impressed with him."

Olivia now remembers what she wanted to tell Fitz about Jon. It seems so long ago, but she still wants him to know.

"Babe, do you remember the first day you were sick and I told you there was something I wanted to tell you about Jon?"

He looks at her blankly. "Honestly, I don't remember, Liv."

"Well …"

She tells him everything she remembers about her conversation with Jon and the strange comment he made about The Beene Group.

"So, do you think it's kind of odd that he would mention Cyrus' company?"

"Not necessarily, Liv. Cyrus does have one of the largest entertainment companies in the world. Jon would know that since he's trying to break into the business."

"Maybe so. It just struck me as being odd when he said it. Let's hold off offering him a position until we know more about him, okay?"

"OK."

 **XXX**

"Well, he's out of the hospital, sir; he's now back in the office."

"How does he look? How does he seem?" Still caring about his old friend.

"He looks fine, sir. He said he was happy to be back in the office – something about cabin fever."

Cyrus nods his head. He knows Fitz enjoys working and cannot stay out of the game for too long.

"But Mrs. Grant, Olivia, didn't come in today. Fitz said she isn't feeling well."

Cyrus is disinterested.

"Do you have more information about the GranPo financials? I need to see what the numbers look like since the last reports you gave me."

"I don't have any new information, sir. It's difficult to get into Fitz' office now that he's back to work. And Amy is always around."

"Well you're going to have to find a way, _Jon_. I need those numbers and I need them fast!"

"I'll do my best, sir."

Cyrus leans back in his chair thinking about his plan. Based on the last financial reports he got from Jon, GranPo doesn't seem to be turning a profit. Their pipeline of talent doesn't seem to be paying off. Cyrus wonders if Fitz is using his inheritance to keep that little business afloat. He might be crazy enough to go broke for Olivia Pope. Cyrus unlocks his desk drawer and pulls out the photographs of the GranPo financial reports. Based on the numbers, things aren't looking too good for GranPo, not looking good at all. Cyrus returns the documents to the drawer and locks it. He leans back in his plush leather chair and smiles, thinking his plan might work after all.

 **XXX**

They are on their way to meet Leo and Abby for dinner. Fitz made the reservation at _The Union Club_ a few days ago and forgot to tell Olivia. He was so anxious to see his friends, and with everything going on at work, he simply forgot.

" _Pull over, Fitz!"_

" _What?"_

" _Pull over, now! I'm going to be sick."_

Fitz pulls the car over to the curb when it's safe, and Olivia flings open the door and begins to hurl everything she's eaten all day, which wasn't much."

Fitz runs around to her side of the car, trying to avoid stepping into her puke. With a worried expression, "Liv, are you all right? What's the matter? I didn't realize you were still sick - this sick", rubbing the back of her neck.

Liv continues now with the dry heaves, there's nothing more in her stomach to give. She leans on his shoulder and begins to cry.

"Livvie, what's the matter? What's wrong?" He asks with concern, rubbing up and down her back.

"I wanna go home, Fitz."

"Should we go to the hospital?"

"No, I just wanna go home", she cries.

Fitz takes Olivia home, puts her in bed, and gets her a cup of the ginger tea she requested. Then he calls Leo to explain what happened and says they will make it up to him and Abby at another time. Fitz removes his clothes and climbs into bed behind his wife, rubbing her stomach."

"Is your stomach still upset? Can I get you anything?" He asks sweetly.

Olivia shakes her head 'no'. Then she turns on her side to face him. He kisses her forehead and nose.

"I hate seeing you sick like this, babe."

"Fitz, I don't know if I can do this. If this is going to last forever…"

"What are you talking about, Liv? It's just a tummy ache", squeezing her butt.

She begins to cry and can't seem to stop. She doesn't even know why she's crying. She doesn't even want to cry.

"Fitz, I don't know if I can do this four more times. I feel awful all the time."

After a few moments of processing what she said, it hits him. He sits up straight in the bed, almost knocking her over.

"Are you …? Do you mean …? How …? When …?" He's gesticulating and pacing around the room.

She rolls her eyes playfully. He's so happy.

" _We're having a baby! I'm going to be a father!"_

 **XXX**

Olivia and Fitz sit in the waiting room of Dr. Reyes' office anxiously anticipating their first prenatal checkup. Dr. Reyes has been Olivia's gynecologist for years so the doctor was happy when one of her dearest patients scheduled an appointment to confirm her pregnancy.

Olivia scans nervously the wall displaying the poster of a fetus in various stages of gestation. Her breathing becomes shallow as she thinks about the harm she might have done to their baby before knowing she was pregnant. Between Fitz getting sick and working hard to get GranPo up and running, Olivia has been under a lot of stress lately. They've been working long hours and eating a lot of take-out food for lunch and dinner. Hell, that can't be healthy for anyone, let alone a baby. Of course there is the wine, although she didn't have much desire for it even before she found out she is pregnant.

Olivia wonders if she would be a good mother. She doesn't know anything about taking care of a baby, and neither does Fitz, but he's so excited. She slides her hand out of his and starts wringing her hands, a telltale sign she's nervous.

"Liv, what's the matter? Are you feeling nauseous again?" Turning in his chair and looking at his wife who is clearly distressed about something.

The waiting room is full with parents-to-be so she takes a couple deep breaths before whispering to her husband.

"Fitz, I didn't know I was pregnant."

He looks at her curiously.

Speaking softly, she continues. "We've had a lot going on over the last month and a half and I haven't been at my best - not taking care of myself as I should. I'm afraid I could have harmed our baby", tears pooling in her eyes.

"Liv, don't do this to yourself. You've done nothing wrong. Our baby is going to be fine. Okay?" Dipping his head to look into her frightened eyes.

"OK", she nods meekly and wipes her nose with his handkerchief.

"Fitz, I don't know anything about babies - how to take care of them. I don't know if I would even be a good mother."

"You're going to be a terrific mother, babe", draping an arm around her shoulder. "You are so kind, caring, and loving. And what we don't know we'll learn together. Look at all the baby magazines and pamphlets in this room", he points to the table in front of them. "There's a lot of information available for first-time parents. I've already begun to do some research online."

"Oh, Fitz", she says weepily.

"Mrs. and Mr. Grant?" Lila, the technician, calls as she stands by the receptionist's desk wearing purple scrubs covered with multi-colored babies and a stethoscope hanging around her neck.

The couple follow Lila to Examination Room 2 where she directs Olivia to sit on the examination table. Fitz sits in the small chair against the wall, across from his wife, holding her purse in his lap. After asking Olivia a few questions, Lila takes her vitals and updates the chart. On her way out the door Lila asks Olivia to remove all of her clothing from the waist down and says Dr. Reyes will be in shortly.

Dr. Reyes confirms they are six weeks pregnant with an approximate due date of May 10. She also eases Olivia's fears about the harm she might have done to their baby before she knew she was pregnant. Dr. Reyes helped the couple to understand since Olivia is generally a healthy woman, a few bad meals were not going to be detrimental to their baby. She advised Olivia to manage her stress and eliminate her wine consumption.

After leaving the doctor's office they head to the pharmacy to pick up Olivia's prenatal vitamins. When they get back to the apartment Olivia takes a nap because she is exhausted from her first prenatal exam. Dr. Reyes was thorough. While Olivia naps Fitz starts a pot of homemade chicken soup. He hasn't been doing much cooking since GranPo activity has increased. As he slides the chopped vegetables from the cutting board, into the chicken stock, he wonders if he can convince his wife to join him in his yoga and meditation practice to help reduce her stress.

 **XXX**

They decided Olivia would work from home until her morning sickness is over, and that doesn't seem like it's going to happen any time soon. She's living on broth, dry crackers, and ginger tea. She's bored with her new diet and tired of feeling nauseous all the time. She no longer has the energy to manage GranPo and their household so Fitz contacted a housekeeping agency to get them some help cleaning the apartment and doing some light cooking for Olivia. He's responsible for shopping for groceries and whatever else they need.

Fitz is a little surprised when he enters the apartment and Liv isn't sitting at the desk as usual, looking at her computer screen with eyeglasses down on her nose. He looks around and is happy to see Mrs. Hazelton is doing a good job keeping the apartment in order. He walks into their bedroom and sees his wife curled up in the bed.

"Liv …?" He walks around to her side of the bed and sits down. He looks at her lovingly, rubbing her arm up and down. "Is your tummy bothering you again?"

Trying to sit up, her head snaps and she glares at him. _"I don't have a tummy ache, Fitz! I'm pregnant and I have morning sickness all day"_ , she yells, grabbing her phone off the nightstand and looking at the time. _"It's 6:15 at night and I still have morning sickness."_ The tears begin to fall.

Fitz pulls her to his chest and strokes her hair, trying to comfort her. He knows her hormones are all over the place. He read online that some pregnant women can experience dramatic mood swings because of their heightened hormones, so he was ready for these kinds of outbursts.

"Shhh. Shhh. Don't cry sweetheart. I know you feel awful right now, but I researched -"

 _"Don't tell me any more about your research, Fitz!"_ She snaps and the tears increase. "I just ... I ... I just…"

"You just what, sweetheart?" Rubbing her leg and trying not to laugh because he wants to live to see their firstborn.

"I don't know", she whines. "I just don't know. I don't even know what I want to say, Fitz. I feel like – like I am in a fog all the time."

"Lay back down, okay? I'll get you some more of that ginger tea. Okay?" Trying to sound empathetic.

She nods, looking utterly confused. He smiles as he walks down the long hall thinking, three more to go.

 **XXX**

After everyone left GranPo for the day, Jon sneaked into Fitz' office again to photograph the documents Cyrus Beene wants. Looking over his shoulder before opening the door, he turns the knob and enters the sparsely decorated office. He walks over to Fitz' desk and pulls on the desk drawer, which still slides open without hesitation. He shakes his head, still not believing the man doesn't lock his desk. Jon pulls out the hanging file folder labeled _GranPo Financials_ and removes all of the documents and places them onto the desk. He pulls out his phone, photographs each page, returns the documents to the folder, and closes the drawer. Looking around the room one more time, he turns off the light and closes the door. Mr. Beene should be really happy with these documents he thinks, smiling to himself.

 **XXX**

Olivia called Fitz at work and asked him to bring home Chinese food for dinner – Chicken Pad Thai is her latest craving, not that she ever eats much of it or anything else lately. They sit at the island eating dinner, well he's eating and she's talking.

"Fitz, there are 80 million millennials in the US alone who spend $600 billion a year. That number is projected to grow to $1.4 trillion by 2020."

"Wow", he says, eating another forkful of Pad Thai.

"If we want to capitalize on the millennial economy, babe, we have to deliver smarter services, which means we have to deliver a better experience for those who visit our website."

"What do you mean?" He stuffs another forkful of food into mouth.

"Jeez, Fitz", astonished by how much he's eating. "Are you really _that_ hungry? One would think _you're_ the one who's pregnant", rolling her eyes and taking a sip of her ginger tea.

"You know I love Chinese", taking a swig of his Elf Life beer. He looks at her tea mug. "Was Junior behaving today?"

 _"Junior? What makes you think we're having a boy?"_

"First we're having a boy, then three girls - all who look like you - then another boy", he says as a matter-of-fact.

She looks at him like he's lost his mind. "Fitz, no one can decide the gender of their children and the order in which they're born."

"Trust me Liv, I know these things", he says nonchalantly.

She rolls her eyes.

"The research I've done about online shopping suggests millenials and GenXers want a personalized experience when they interact with us online. They don't want to re-enter their preferences every time they come to our site. They want their music preferences remembered when they come back, and they want suggestions for new artists and new music. They also want to pay easily with things like , babe."

"Wow, how do we make all of that happen?" He asks, twirling more noodles with his fork.

"Of course I'm no expert in this area, but I think we're going to need a web designer. Do you think we afford one?"

"We need a web designer", he repeats, nodding his head. "Liv, I don't know the going rate for a website designer, but it seems like we _can't not_ afford one. Our current website is basic- none of the bells and whistles you mentioned. People are willing to give us a pass for a while because we're new and they like what we're selling. But their generosity isn't going to last too long."

He's in full business mode and she smiles.

"We can look into hiring a consultant instead of a full-time employee. With a consultant we don't have to worry about the ongoing expense associated with a full-time person."

Olivia gets up and walks around to Fitz' chair and kisses his ear and down the side of his neck.

"I love my smart, Harvard-educated husband." She runs her tongue around the shell of his ear and whispers, "I never agreed to five babies."

He pulls her into his lap and kisses down her neck and rubs her breasts tenderly, while snaking his hand inside her yoga pants.

"Fitz ..." trying to escape his attempts to be amorous.

"Please, Liv", trying to slide his hand into her panties. "It's been weeks, baby", sucking on her ear lobe.

 _"Fitz ..."_ She whines, trying to peel his hand from her waist - not feeling a bit turned on by his advances.

His eyes are closed as he places soft bites on her neck while sliding down her panties.

"You're not feeling sick now, are you?" He asks huskily, voice laced with desire. His member is getting harder as her naked bottom squirms in his lap.

"No, babe, I'm not feeling nauseous right at this moment. I just don't feel like it tonight", pulling away and looking into his disappointed face. "How about tomorrow?" She gives him a quick peck on the lips and jumps from his lap. She pulls up her pants and walks over to the sink to wash the dishes.

He drops his chin to his chest, looks at the bulge in his pants, and mumbles, "You said that last week."

"What?" Turning from the sink. "Did you say something, babe?" Looking at him curiously.

"No - nothing. I'm going to the gym for a while", running a hand through his hair as he walks out of the kitchen.

Olivia scrunches her face as she watches her husband walk out of the kitchen and through the living room. She shakes her head thinking he's been going to the gym an awful lot lately.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Thanks all for continuing to review, follow, and favorite this story.** _ **skidd**_ **, Fitz has an MBA in Finance and Operations.** _ **Reader575**_ **, so you want Olivia to throw up on Jon. Too funny.** _ **Allaboutpassion**_ **, glad the story is meeting your criteria. Unable to tolerate the smell of your own skin, never heard of that before. Wow.** _ **Amanda J**_ **, don't worry. Now back to our regularly scheduled story. Hope you enjoy.**

 **Chapter 14**

It's October and Olivia is still in her first trimester of pregnancy and her libido is nonexistent. Between being tired all the time, the nausea, and vomiting, she could care less about sex. It's the furthest thing from her mind. On the other hand, sex is always top of mind for her husband. While Fitz is empathetic to his wife's symptoms he also has needs he wants fulfilled - like yesterday. They have gone from having sex almost every day to nothing - zilch. He's horny as hell and is always angry about something lately. She has tried to satisfy him with her hands once or twice but she says her hands now get tired from pumping him. When he asks for her mouth she frowns, saying it's nasty and makes her gag.

And nothing seems to get her excited sexually any more, not even the famous Grant mouth. He can lick and suck her all night, which he has, and she won't get aroused. She just asks when he's going to be finished. It's as if she's dead from the waist down. Needless to say he's frustrated. Taking cold showers and working out at the gym aren't working, they're a poor substitute for what he needs.

Fitz arrives at GranPo at 7:45 AM in a huff and slams his office door with such force the entire office quakes, causing the photo on his desk of him and Olivia on their wedding day to topple over. He's been arriving at the office earlier and earlier, and in a bad mood, for the past few weeks. Everyone at the office has been walking on eggshells around him. They have no idea what has him in such a foul mood lately. Amy thinks he just misses his wife being at the office with him every day.

At their afternoon meeting Fitz leans back in his chair with a foot propped on the edge of the desk, viciously squeezing a red stress ball in his left hand. He's ticking.

 _"Where the hell do we find a website designer?"_ Fitz bellows to Amy and Jon.

Looking nervously at Mr. Grant, Amy raises her hand midair.

"Um ... Mr. ... Mr. Grant." Amy says timidly.

Fitz grimaces at Amy wondering why the heck she's raising her hand like she's in the third grade.

"Mr. Grant", she says again, a little more apprehensive. "I know a guy."

"You know a guy?" Looking at Amy with raised brows.

"Yes. Webster. His name is Webster. He's a computer geek. He designs websites", she says quickly.

"His name is Webster and he designs websites. Is that supposed to be some kind of joke, Amy?" Fitz asks incredulously.

With eyes and mouth wide open Amy looks at Mr. Grant blankly, unsure if he is expecting her to respond.

"Does he do it professionally, Amy? Has he designed websites for any businesses – small businesses?"

Nodding her head up and down like a bobble-head doll with bulging eyes, Amy responds quickly.

"Yes he has, sir. He's really smart. And he likes working with small businesses because he hates dealing with all the _bullsh_ – bureaucracy - that goes on with the big corporations."

"Do you think he would be willing to come in to meet with us?" Fitz asks, leaning forward across the desk, no longer squeezing the stress ball.

"That won't be a problem, Mr. Grant – he'll come in. He likes me", Amy says with a slight smile as she and Jon stand to leave the office.

 **XXX**

A week later Webster enters the GranPo offices dressed in a Goth tee shirt, black faded jeans, and black boots. His tee shirt reveals tattoos on his arms and around his neck. He stands just inside the doorway looking around the small outer office where he sees a young man about his age sitting in a corner looking at something on his computer screen. Webster waits patiently for someone to acknowledge his presence when Amy looks up from her tablet.

"Hey, Webster", Amy says, walking toward her friend. How are you? Thanks for coming", she says all in one breath.

"Hey, Amy", Webster smiles slightly, looking down at his boots.

"Follow me. Mr. Grant sits back there", pointing to the small office. "Mr. Grant is the owner of GranPo. Actually he and his wife own GranPo but she's out sick right now. They're really good people to work for."

"I see", says Webster, following behind Amy at a safe distance.

Amy knocks on the office door.

"Come in", Fitz calls out as he looks at his laptop screen, reviewing the latest GranPo financial reports.

Amy enters the tiny office with Webster in tow.

"Mr. Grant, this is Webster, the website designer I told you about. Webster, this is Mr. Grant."

Fitz closes his laptop, walks from behind his desk, and extends a hand to the young man who seems somewhat uncomfortable. Amy clears her throat and shakes her head 'no', letting Fitz know Webster doesn't do handshakes. Fitz nods his head slightly, withdraws his hand slowly, and pushes both hands into his pants pockets.

"Good to meet you, Webster. Amy has told me a lot a good things about you. She says you're an excellent website designer."

Webster says hello and looks everywhere around the little office except at Fitz. Fitz gives Amy a questioningly look and Amy nods, indicating he should dispense with the pleasantries and just start the meeting.

"Why don't you both have a seat", Fitz points to the two small chairs in front of his desk. Fitz invited Amy to the meeting so she could translate his requirements into Webster speak.

"So you want a website that allows people to personalize their musical preferences. You want the site to suggest artists and music, based on their preferences, every time they return. You want to track the number of people visiting the site daily. You want to know the number of visits that translate into actual sales. And you want paying online to be easy and secure. Did I get that right?" Webster hadn't taken any notes.

"Wow, you got all of that from what I just said? Impressive." Fitz is clearly astonished by Webster's mental faculties.

Webster nods and Amy smiles proudly.

"So Webster, can you show me some examples of the kinds of websites you've designed?"

Webster nods, reaches into his backpack that's leaning against the little chair, and pulls out his laptop. He walks around the desk and places the laptop on the desk, angling it so Fitz can see the screen. Amy walks around the other side of the desk and peers over Fitz' shoulder. Webster logs into his computer and displays a webpage. Fitz recognizes the company immediately because he has purchased many products through their website. Webster navigates around the site showing Fitz some of the features he wants for the GranPo site.

"Nice. This is quite nice", Fitz says, nodding his head as he looks intently at the screen.

Webster shows Fitz six more examples of websites he's designed for well-known companies. Fitz nods his head again then reclines in his chair, indicating he's seen enough. Webster logs out and closes his computer.

"So Webster, how much is all this going to cost me?" Fitz asks, scrutinizing Webster closely.

Webster reaches into his back pocket, pulls out a business card, and hands it to Fitz. Fitz reaches for the wrinkled card and turns it over. Needless to say he's floored by the fee Webster has scrawled on the back of the card. While Fitz didn't know the market rate for web designers with Webster's skills, he still thinks it's an insane amount of money to pay.

"And what does this number buy me?" Eyeing Webster even more closely.

"You get a prototype that we will test before going live. I will monitor the testing, fix all bugs, and make any reasonable enhancements. You get implementation of the final site, which will run redundant with your current site for one month - this is a failsafe measure. Just in case the new site crashes, which it won't, customers will still be able to access the content and make purchases. You get support for six months where I answer all questions 24 – 7 and fix any problems. I'll throw in ongoing support and maintenance because you're Amy's friend", he looks shyly over at a beaming Amy. "You're getting a real deal. I usually charge much more, but Amy is a friend."

Fitz looks between Webster and Amy as he ponders the terms Webster outlined.

"Okay, so when can you start? When can we have our new website?"

"Two weeks – October 26. I need all of your people to be available to test on that day. Then I'll need a few more days to fix any bugs they find and make the enhancements you want. Everything should be up and running by November first."

Fitz nods. "And when do you want payment?"

"When the job is done", Webster says while stuffing the laptop into his backpack.

 **XXX**

Cyrus Beene reflects on his life as he sits at his desk in his massive office on the 47th floor of The Beene Entertainment Group. His office is three times the size of the entire GranPo space. By most measures Cyrus should be a happy man, but he isn't. He's sad and bitter about a lot these days and he believes his feelings are justified. He shakes the thoughts from his mind, unlocks his desk drawer, and pulls out the latest photos of the GrantPo documents Jon sent earlier in the day. Cyrus reviews the financial reports closely. It doesn't appear their financials have changed at all since the last documents he received from Jon. Cyrus finds this to be a bit odd because he knows financial data usually vary from month to month. He retrieves the first set of GranPo financial documents from the drawer and spreads them onto his desk, comparing both sets side by side. His eyes bulge and his thin lips twitch; he's furious.

"Idiots. I'm surrounded by idiots!" He growls out loud, glaring at the photos. The damn fool sent him photos of the same documents from two months ago. Cyrus swings his hand and swipes the photos from his desk, sending them flying around the room. He stands from his desk, walks over to his well-stocked bar, and pours himself a healthy tumbler of vodka on the rocks. He takes a long swig, nods his head a few times, and then swaggers over to the huge windows. Staring into the night with the cold, sweating glass in his hand, Cyrus knows he has to get the most current GranPo financial information, and soon.

 _Time is running out._

 **October 25**

Webster uses the key Mr. Grant gave him to enter GranPo after hours so he could set up the equipment to test the new website tomorrow. The outer office is dark so he turns on the lights and sets his equipment down on Amy's little table desk. He goes to make coffee but stops when sees light coming from under Mr. Grant's office door. Webster walks to the office to let Mr. Grant know he's getting ready to set up the equipment for tomorrow. As he approaches the office he sees the door is slightly ajar, so he knocks softly. After a few moments pass and no one answers, Webster pushes open the door and sees Jon sitting in Mr. Grant's chair with his phone in one hand and trying to conceal papers on the desk with his other hand.

 _"What the hell are you doing in here, Jon?"_

"What are you doing here at this time of night, Webster?" Jon counters nervously.

 _"Answer my fuckin' question",_ looking at the phone in Jon's hand and all of the papers on the desk.

"It's not what you think, man. It's not what it looks like."

"I think it's exactly what it looks like. You're taking pictures of the Grants' business documents."

"Mr. Grant - uh, Fitz, asked -"

"Mr. Grant didn't ask you _shit_ , but I'm sure he would love to hear about what you've been up to."

"Come on, Webs. Don' say anything, man." 

" _You better not move, Jon. If you do I'll break your fuckin' neck"_ , Webster says while pulling his phone from his pocket.

"Webs, with your skills and my connections I can get you paid, too."

"I already get paid", Webster says, calling the number he has on speed dial. "And for the record, my name is Webster", he says, glaring at a frightened Jon.

 **XXX**

Fitz tried to convince Olivia to stay home but she wasn't having it. She wanted to know what was going on at GranPo. When they get there all the lights are on and they hear voices coming from their office. Amy is in Jon's face, who is still sitting in Fitz' chair, looking quite frightened. Webster is standing off to the left, arms crossed, and grimacing at Jon.

" _You're a snake, Jon. I believed in you. I even talked to the Grants about offering you a full-time position. And you do this shit?"_

"Amy, you don't understand."

 _"You're right, I don't understand how you could betray the people who have only been nothing but nice to you. Why do you want those documents anyway? Are you working for someone?"_

Fitz and Olivia enter their crowded office.

 _"What the hell is going on here?"_ Fitz shouts, looking around the room.

"Jon is a spy, Mr. Grant. Webster caught him taking pictures of all of those documents", pointing to the papers strewn across the desk.

 _"What?"_ Olivia gasps, raising a hand to her mouth.

"I came here to set up for the testing tomorrow and I saw him taking pictures of all those papers", Webster says, looking over to the desk. "That's when I called you, Mr. Grant."

Livid and red-faced Fitz walks over to Jon who is wide-eyed and shaking. Fitz grabs Jon in the collar, pulls him from the chair, and throws him against the thin wall. The pictures and knick-knacks hanging on the wall tremble, some crash to the floor.

 _"I bring you into our business and this is how you return the fucking favor? You better start talking before I rip off your fucking face, Jon."_

 _"Fitz!"_ Olivia screams.

 _"I said talk. Who are you working for and what do they want?"_

Jon is scared and can hardly breathe because Fitz' left forearm is pressed against his windpipe.

"OK. OK. But I can't breathe", he chokes out.

 _"I said talk!"_ Spit flying and spraying Jon's red face.

"Cyrus Beene. Cyrus Been hired me!"

Olivia gasps again. Her mouth hangs open and eyes now the size of saucers dart between her husband and Jon.

 _"Keep talking"_ , Fitz snarls.

"Somehow he found out that I knew Davi and he tracked me down. He offered me a lot of money to get a job here and report back to him about everything that goes on at GranPo."

Fitz is so stunned by Jon's revelation he releases the young man, takes two steps back, and stares at him in disbelief. He can't believe what he's hearing.

"He wants to know what's happening with GranPo – financially", Jon continues. "I just take pictures - nothing else. I swear. This would have been the third set of pictures", looking over at the desk nervously.

 _"You fool!"_ Amy shouts. _"Those -"_

 _"That's enough, Amy!"_

Not wanting Jon to know the financial information in those documents is months old, obsolete. Things have been so hectic around the office lately, and with Olivia being out sick, he hasn't had time to think about shredding his old financial reports.

"But, Mr. Grant -"

Olivia squeezes the young woman's arm, and shakes her head, signaling Amy should stop talking. Amy nods, then yells at the spy again.

 _"You're a fuckin' snake, Jon!"_

Fitz grabs the young man in the collar again and flings him across the room.

 _"Get the hell out. I better not see your fucking face around here again!"_ Fitz growls.

Jon scrambles from the floor and scurries out of the office and down the stairs, not bothering to wait for the elevator.

 _"Damn it!"_ Fitz yells and kicks the desk drawer closed. He turns and looks out the window into the night sky, shaking his head. He feels like he's having a bad dream.

Olivia walks over to her husband who is angrier than she's ever seen him. She touches his arm lightly. Trying to sound calm, Fitz asks Webster and Amy to take Mrs. Grant home.

"Fitz -", Olivia begins.

 _"Don't fight me on this, Olivia!"_ He turns around and gives her a pointed look.

Olivia looks at him briefly with wide eyes, then nods her head.

 **XXX**

Cyrus Beene sits alone in his luxurious mansion enjoying a tumbler of vodka on the rocks while listening to _Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1_. Swirling the vodka in his tumbler, he looks over at the table that holds the various sizes of brown bottles of medicine he now has to take twice a day. He shakes his head wondering how he got to this place when the loud banging on his front door shakes him from his reverie.

 _Who the hell...?_ Cyrus walks to the front door and peers out the side windows and sees his old friend Fitzgerald Grant banging on his door. A startled Cyrus rushes to open the door to let in his friend. Fitz pushes past the old man and stands in the foyer seething with anger.

 _"You son-of-a-bitch. I cut you out of my life- had nothing to do with you for almost a year because you disrespected my choices. Now you do this shit?"_

Fitz throws the financial documents across the expensive marble floor.

"Fitz, what are you -?" Cyrus tries to interject.

"Don't try to deny it, Cyrus. Your little spy got caught tonight trying to get you the latest GranPo financial data. Well there it is", pointing to the pages scattered across the floor.

Cyrus' eyes are bulging. "Fitz, you don't understand. Let me explain", the old man pleads, reaching out to touch Fitz' arm.

Fitz backs away from the man and glares at him with contempt.

 _"I don't want to hear a damn thing you have to say"_ , stormy eyes staring into the old man's tired blue eyes.

"You're trying to destroy me and everything Olivia and I are trying to build. You've done some low shit, Cyrus. But this ... I can't believe ..."

Trying to calm his anger and collect his thoughts, Fitz clasps his hands behind his head and looks up at the ornately designed ceiling. He closes his eyes for a moment and shakes his head, still in disbelief about the night's events. He slides his hands down the sides of his face and turns to face the man he once knew.

"God … I can't … _Just stay the fuck away from me and my family!"_

Fitz walks out of the house leaving the old man standing in the middle of the foyer looking at the papers scattered across the floor.

 **XXX**

Amy and Webster are still with Olivia when Fitz returns home. He is grateful to them for taking care of his wife and is even more grateful to Webster for discovering what Jon has been up to for the last few months. Amy and Webster say their good nights, leaving the Grants alone.

"Fitz, are you okay?" Olivia looks at Fitz sadly, knowing where he went.

"I'm fine, Liv." He sighs heavily and sits on the sofa. "I just don't understand what the hell Cyrus is thinking. Why would he do such a thing?"

Olivia sits next to her husband and strokes his arm gently.

"What did he say? Did he tell you anything?" She asks softly, trying to calm her angry husband.

"He didn't say shit, not that I gave him much of an opportunity. I told him I never wanted to see him again and to stay the fuck away from us."

Olivia nods, knowing tonight is not the time to push the matter further.

 **October 29**

Webster, Fitz, and Amy spend all afternoon mapping out different scenarios that will enable them to meet the November first deadline. They discuss and prioritize the bug fixes and enhancements that need to be made before the new site is launched. They decide to defer the less important bug fixes and enhancements until after the launch. Webster will address the list of changes they deferred after November first. By 5:30 PM the trio is exhausted, but satisfied they have a solid plan.

It was a long day at GranPo and Fitz is feeling the stress in his body. He needs to get back into his yoga and meditation practice he thinks as he walks into the grocery store to pick up the items on Olivia's list. As soon as he walks into the store he smiles because he sees in the produce department the "evidence" that autumn is here. He grabs a cart and begins to load it with all the things he knows his wife will love. He picks up a huge autumn mum with the deepest and boldest oranges and reds and sets it in the cart. He sees a bin of pomegranates and puts a couple into a plastic bag. He gets a six pack of candy apples: two red, two caramel with nuts, and two chocolate; and he smiles, remembering the story Olivia told him of how the candy apple got stuck to her mouth when she was a little girl. Fitz digs into a large bin and scoops the assorted nuts into another plastic bag. Then he goes to the other aisles to get the items on Olivia's list.

Olivia is still napping when Fitz gets home from the grocery store so he puts all the foodstuff into the cabinets and refrigerator. He reaches on top of the tall cabinet and pulls out a silver tray and places all of the "evidence" on it. He wonders why Olivia stores the trays where she cannot reach them. Fitz carries the tray to the living room and sets it on the coffee table, hoping his wife will like the surprise. Satisfied with his presentation, Fitz walks over to the desk, opens his laptop, and begins to research baby furniture for the nursery.

Olivia walks down the hall from their bedroom, yawing and stretching from her nap. As she enters the living room she stops and covers her mouth when she sees the tray of "evidence" on the coffee table. Tears roll down her cheeks as she walks slowly over to the table.

"Autumn is here, Livvie", Fitz says, walking toward his wife who is staring at the items on the tray.

"Oh, Fitz. This is so wonderful. I have not … since I was … Thank you so much, baby. You're so sweet." She claps her hands and smiles brightly like a little girl.

He smiles broadly because he's happy that she's happy.

"Hold on", he says excitedly. I want to get my phone. I want to take a picture of you biting into one of those candy apples", he says, laughing out loud.

"Not funny, babe. Not funny at all."

 **October 31**

Unable to sleep, Fitz looks over at his wife who sleeps like a rock now that she's pregnant. He shakes his head recalling when she used to be a light sleeper. Olivia lays on her stomach with her wild curls spread across her pillow and snores softly. Getting turned on at the sight of his wife sleeping peacefully with her full lips slightly parted, Fitz slides over and brushes hair from her face with the back of his hand. He kisses around her neck and down her back and his dick begs for some relief. He slides his hand inside her panties and massages her round ass. Then he turns her onto her back and kisses down her chest.

"Livvie", he whispers, needing to be inside of her. He pushes up her flimsy nightgown and licks her sensitive breasts while stroking her nub.

"Wake up, baby", he moans, kissing down her stomach, down the path leading to the object of his desire, He spreads her legs, thinking how much he misses being intimate with his wife.

"Wake up, baby", he whispers huskily.

Suddenly Olivia rolls onto her side and her knee connects with Fitz' eye.

" _Ouch!"_ He screams out loud, waking her as he holds his right eye.

"Fitz …?" She says groggily, turning and looking at her husband who is now sitting at the foot of the bed.

"Why are you awake? What's the matter?"

" _Nothing!"_ He says in frustration.

"Well go back to sleep, baby. You have a long day tomorrow." Olivia rolls back onto her side, cuddles her pillow, and falls back into a deep sleep.

" _Damn it!"_ He yells through clenched teeth as he walks to the bathroom to take another cold shower.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**.

The new GranPo website is launched on time with few glitches. Based on the weekly reports Webster sends to Fitz, traffic to the site has increased by 10 percent over the last two months. And 40 percent of the increased traffic has translated into new sales. Webster's fee was well worth it Fitz thinks, leaning back in his office chair.

As Fitz enters the apartment he removes his shoes quietly and slides his keys into the crystal bowl atop the little table in the foyer, and hangs his coat in the closet. It's January and Olivia is in her second trimester and he never knows who he's going to encounter these days when he gets home. There is an aroma in the air he has not smelled in years so he walks into the kitchen where he sees his wife standing at the stove, humming out of tune, stirring something in a pot, and wearing a short, see-through lingerie that leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination.

"Liv …?" Looking at his scantily clad wife cautiously.

She turns around looking absolutely radiant. "I didn't hear you come in, babe. How long have you been standing there?"

"I just got here. Are you all right?" Eyeing her suspiciously.

"Of course I'm all right. Why would you ask such a silly question?" She shakes her head, seemingly confused by his question. "You should go change out of those clothes, dinner will be ready soon. And hurry because I'm starved. I prepared one of Olga's recipes", she says cheerfully.

He shakes his head and walks to their bedroom thanking the gods his wife is in a good mood tonight. A few minutes later he comes back into the kitchen wearing sweatpants and a tee shirt. Olivia is plating the food and sets it on the island. He gets their drinks and sits down to eat. He's still trying to figure out why she's cooking in that skimpy negligee.

"Liv, what are you wearing?"

"A nightie, baby. You like?" Twirling around, primping and posing with a big smile spread across her face.

If he didn't know any better he would think she was high on something.

"I like", still eyeing her with uncertainty. He has learned over the last few months to hold his tongue when it comes to his sometimes emotional wife.

She smiles sweetly, happy her husband likes her nightie. Fitz updates Olivia on what's happening at GranPo, informing her that the website is attracting a lot of new traffic. But she's half listening; instead she squirms and twists in her chair. After listening to Fitz drone on about work she walks over and sits in his lap. Still noting her odd behavior, Fitz smiles when she starts eating off his plate and feeding him. She kisses his neck and sucks his earlobe while grazing her finger nails in the hairs at the nape of his neck. They both moan. She pulls off his tee shirt and tosses it across the kitchen. She kisses down his chest and begins to devour a nipple.

His desire is building and he looks into her eyes, knowing what she wants because he wants it too. He lifts her onto the island and kisses her passionately and she opens her mouth as he explores the familiar terrain with his tongue. He pulls her nightie over her head and throws it across the room somewhere and licks her breasts and suck her pointed nipples.

 _It's been too long._

"Too hard, babe. Too hard", she says through moans.

He nods, flattens his tongue, and licks her hard nipples more gently. He runs his hand down her thighs and spread her legs as he licks his fingers to strokes her inner lips. Then he thrusts in and out of her slickness and the friction feels amazing so she opens her legs wider. She wraps her arms around his neck, lifts her bottom off the island, and rides up and down his fingers.

"Fitz baby, it feels so good - so good."

She pushes down his sweat pants with her feet and his dick springs free, glistening in the overhead recessed lights. Her pussy twitches as she admires her husband's chiseled body. She licks her full lips unashamedly, in anticipation, as she eyes his throbbing dick.

She looks into her husband's dark eyes and slides off the island and sits on her knees in front of him and she feels the heat emanating from his body. She salivates watching the juices ooze from his slit. The sight of his hard, leaking dick is making her so fucking hot and she just wants to drink all of him. She loves the taste of her husband - loves his fullness in her mouth. It's been too long and she wants to worship him completely so she licks her lips again and kisses the inside of his thighs.

"Livvie", he moans, running a hand through her hair.

"I've missed you so, so much." She kisses up his thighs, getting closer to her desire.

"I can't, Liv." His breathing is shallow.

She cups his sac in her palm and grazes him with her finger nails. His balls swell, rising in her hand.

"It's been too long, Livvie."

She places the lightest and gentlest kiss on the wet head and he jerks.

"Let Lvivie take care of you, baby. Let me love you this way", planting soft kisses on his dripping head.

"I don't -"

"I love your dick baby", she says huskily. "I can suck you all night. Can I love you baby - like this?"

She gives him another teasing kiss and looks up at him, licking his nectar from her lips. He looks anxious because it's been too long and he doesn't want to come too soon. He doesn't want to come like this.

"Do you want me to beg?" She looks at him with pouty lips.

He looks down at his beautiful wife and rubs his thumb across her full lips. He loves her so much.

"Don't make me beg, baby. You know how much I love it. You know what it does to me. Can I?" She asks seductively, gliding her parted lips across the swollen head.

His thigh muscles flex and he nods, silently granting her permission.

"Say it, baby. I need you to say it. Tell Livvie you want it. Tell me you want it as much as I do."

He inhales deeply and closes his eyes, bracing himself for the gift his wife is about to bestow upon him.

"Yes, yes. I want it. I want you to suck me hard." He says in a strained voice.

"Thank you, baby", she says softly, tracing the bulging veins with her tongue. "Thank you."

"Oh god, Livvie." His legs tremble.

She wraps her hands around his shaft and squeezes gently, expressing more of his milk to coat her lips. She slurps the thin, sweet fluid and moans.

"Mmmmm, you taste so good, baby. Always so good."

She licks her lips then glides her tongue up and down his slit and he jerks violently.

"You're gonna make -"

"I want all of you, baby", she says, running her tongue around his crown. "Can I have all of you?"

"Livvie …" He moans softly.

She opens her mouth wide and he cups the sides of her face and glides back and forth on her warm, wet tongue. She knows what he likes. The feeling of slipping in and out of her mouth is heavenly. He hasn't felt this good in such a long time and wants to enjoy it forever. His face contorts from the pleasurable pain as he pumps ever so slowly in his wife's generous mouth.

"Livvie, Livvie, Livvie."

She clamps down on him and cups his ass, pulling him deeper into her mouth. Her head bobs back and forth as her lips slide from shaft to tip over and over and over. She sucks him with fervor as her essence runs down her thighs.

"I don't want to come yet, baby", he says breathlessly. I wanna taste you, Liv. I wanna taste my sweet pussy. Let's do it together."

She nods and releases him from her mouth. He lay onto the cool tile floor and she straddles him and guides her pussy to his face. He inhales deeply and gives her a long lick. He's missed this.

"Delicious."

He covers her completely with his mouth and slides up and down her soft inner lips, to her clitoris, and she goes wild.

"You like that, baby?" He asks while pumping his rigid dick in her mouth.

She nods her head violently and sucks him harder.

He is so enchanted by their connection, him devouring her pussy and her sucking his dick. The feeling is exquisite and he feels like he's having an outer body experience. He presses his hands on her plump ass and pulls her deeper into his mouth.

 _Delicious._

He spread her soft inner lips and laps up her dripping juices.

 _So fucking delicious._

He spread her outer lips wide to expose her fully engorged clitoris and licks and licks and licks. The love he feels for his wife is overwhelming. He'll never tire of making love to her.

"Livvie. Come to me. Come to me, baby."

She releases him from her mouth and crawls to lay on top of him. She smiles with his juices covering her face. He wraps his hands around her ass, looks deeply into her eyes, and kisses her tenderly.

"Do you know how much I love you?" He asks with sincerity.

She smiles and nods.

"I love you, too. I love you more than anything, Fitz."

He kisses her passionately and they exchange the remnants of their juices that linger in their mouths. He rolls her back onto the floor and looks at her with dark, desire-filled eyes.

"I need to be in you, baby. I need you so bad."

She nods and plants her feet onto the cool tile floor and spread her thighs - permission granted.

 _It's been too long._

He holds his throbbing dick and slides in slowly and she gasps from his fullness. Her walls clench around him and he closes his eyes and starts to move. Her tightness and slickness feel so amazing.

"You drive me so fucking crazy, Livvie." He breathes raggedly.

He rests his head in the crook of her neck and picks up the pace, stroking deep into her channel. He pumps over and over. He's found his rhythm; he's in the zone.

His swollen head teases her sweet spot so she wraps her legs around his waist and lifts her bottom from the floor, encouraging him to go deeper. And he does. She presses her hands on his firm ass, pulling him in deeper and they gaze into each other's dark eyes, happy to be reconnected. They're fucking hard and their panting travels throughout the otherwise quiet apartment.

"Oh god, Fitz. You ..."

Then he hits her spot and her walls tremble, juices coating him and the floor. He rides her harder, thrusting deeper and deeper. His heart is hammering in his chest but he can't stop. It feels so damn good and he doesn't want to stop. So he pumps and pumps and pumps until he feels the familiar tension, until it overtakes him. His body stiffens.

"Livvie …" he cries out as he releases in her.

He collapses and grinds slowly, relishing the remainder of his orgasm. His breathing is erratic so she soothes him, massaging his ass and stroking up and down his slick back. He rolls onto his side and pulls her into his chest. They are a wet and sticky mess. Her hair is puffy and wild and his is slick and matted. A few moments pass as they try to catch their breath.

"We have to get up, babe. This floor is getting hard."

He ignores her and drapes his leg over her waist, locking her in place. He's always so affectionate after they make love. He loves the close contact and never wants to move. He loves cuddling, touching and kissing her everywhere.

"Fitz ..." She whines.

"Liv, I thought I was going to die", he says seriously, pulling her closer.

She swats his arm. "Babe, you're being silly."

"I'm not. Didn't you feel my heart pounding? I don't know why, but I just couldn't get enough. I couldn't stop. You're gonna kill me one day, Liv."

She smiles and pecks her silly husband on the lips.

"It's called pregnant pussy, babe. You better get used to it."

 **XXX**

Now that Olivia is in her second trimester she is over the nausea and is more energetic. Her libido is back with a vengeance and all she wants to do is have sex.At work they have to lock their office door because the urge can hit her at any time. They have had sex in their office almost every day since she's been back to work. Like right now, Olivia's skirt is hiked around her waist and her panties hang from the arm of his chair as she rides her husband with abandon.

"You're killing me, Liv", he says as his wife rides him like a madwoman in his office chair for the second time today, and it's not even noon.

"But you feel so good, baby. It feels so good", she moans loudly.

Olivia's climaxes are so powerful now her screams can bring down the walls of Jericho.

"Liv, you gotta be quiet. Amy can hear you through these thin walls."

"I sent Amy to the store to get more supplies", she pants breathlessly with her eyes closed, gyrating on her husband's erection.

Fitz rolls his eyes and thinks they're going to be bankrupt if she keeps sending Amy to the store every day to buy supplies they don't need.

Her hands are on his shoulders and her forehead rests on his as she grinds on her husband rhythmically, getting close. She can't seem to get enough of him. She kisses him hungrily and slides her tongue into his mouth.

"Move, baby", she urges.

He sighs.

"Go deeper, Fitz. Deeper."

Fitz pulls his wife close to him by her plump ass and gives her hard, deep, and angry thrusts.

"Ahhh. Yes. Just like that, baby. Right there."

He thrusts until her screams fill the small room. A light sheen covers her face as she lays across his chest, her walls twitching around his softening member.

"That was so good, baby", she says, smiling in his neck. "I just can't seem to get enough of my hot, handsome husband these days."

"Liv, you need to get up - go clean up before Amy gets back." He says flatly, patting her butt, wanting her to move.

"Mmmmm", she moans and starts to grind slowly. "We still have time. I gave her a long list this time", she says, licking and kissing down his neck.

"No, Liv", Fitz says, somewhat forcefully. "We _can't_ do it again. Amy -"

"You're no fun", she whines, sliding off his lap and pulling on her panties. We'll finish this later at home tonight", giving him a wink as she walks toward the door to go freshen up.

Once Her Hotness is out of the office Fitz sighs heavily and runs a hand through his messy hair. He doesn't know how much longer he can do this.

 **XXX**

When they get home in the evenings from GranPo, Olivia is always ready for rounds two and three. Tonight Fitz needs a break from his wife's overactive libido so he schedules a racquet ball game with Leo. Honestly he doesn't have the energy or the desire to play racquet ball, he just needs to talk to someone so he meets Leo at their hang-out spot.

"Fitzgerald, you look horrible. What's the matter, is Liv still keeping you up at night with her morning - night sickness?"

"No, Leo, it's not that", he says tiredly. Liv is over the morning sickness."

"Well that's good. I know she's happy about that. Abby had the worse case of morning sickness with both boys." He shudders at the memory.

"Leo", Fitz says, leaning on his barstool, closer to his friend, as if he's about to tell State secrets.

Leo looks worried. He hopes his friends aren't having marital problems so soon.

"Are you and Olivia ...?" Leo searches for the right words. "Hell, are you and Olivia having marital problems?" 

Fitz runs his hand through his hair.

"Well not in the way you might be thinking", moving his barstool closer to his friend. "Leo, you can't tell Abby what I'm about to say to you, okay?" Fitz looks at his friend pleadingly.

"OK", Leo says, eyeing Fitz curiously. His curiosity is definitely piqued.

Fitz takes a sip of his scotch before speaking.

"Leo, I don't want to go home. I'm _afraid_ to go home."

 _"What?"_ Leo's eyes are bulging. "Is Olivia being violent? I know pregnancy can change a woman." He says in a hushed voice.

" _What?_ No, it's nothing like that." Fitz moves even closer to Leo. "She wants _it_ all the time, Leo." He nods his head a few times hoping Leo understands what he is _not_ saying.

Leo looks at him blankly.

 _"Leo, she wants to fuck me all the time! I'm just tired."_

Leo is laughing so hard he almost falls off his seat.

"You mean that's your problem? Your pregnant wife is horny all the time and you can't keep up?"

"It's not funny, Leo. It's all too much. I never thought I wouldn't want to make love to my wife, but Liv's libido is at an all-time high. I'm afraid to even look at her."

"Welcome to my world my friend. Ever since we had Brandon, Abby wants to do it all the time."

 _"Really?"_ Fitz asks, intrigued that his friend is having a similar problem. "So what do you do?"

"I tell her no, it's as simple as that. I told Abby she's not going to put me into an early grave. Just say no my good man. Just say no."

Fitz nods, thinking about what Leo just said.

When Fitz gets home Olivia is asleep so he takes a quick shower and puts on his pajamas. He slides into bed trying not to wake her. He lay on his back for hours, looking up at the ceiling thinking about his predicament. Still asleep, Olivia rolls over and drapes her arm across his stomach and he freezes, praying his wife doesn't wake up.

The next morning Olivia is full of energy. She's been up for hours so she decides to make her husband his favorite breakfast, something she hasn't done in quite some time. She looks around the kitchen assessing her handiwork, wanting everything to be perfect for him when he gets up. His favorite breakfast sausage roasts in the oven, the new coffee he likes is brewing, and the milk and orange juice are still on chill in the refrigerator. She hears him walking down the hall so she pours the batter onto the waffle iron.

Fitz drags into the kitchen and sits at the island. He doesn't feel rested at all because he didn't sleep well last night. Hell, he hasn't slept well in weeks. He jolts awake whenever Olivia bumps against him in bed.

"Good morning, honey", she says cheerfully. "I have your favorite breakfast ready for you this morning." She pours him a cup of coffee and brings it over to him.

"Oh my god, Fitz! You look awful", seeing his face for the first time since he came into the kitchen. "What's the matter, babe? Are you sick?" She feels his forehead and cups the side of his face to check if he has a fever.

"I'm fine", he says solemnly.

"Well did you stay out late last night with Leo? I tried waiting up for you but I got so sleepy around nine. I guess Junior was tired too", she says rubbing her growing belly.

 _Silence._

She knows something is wrong when he doesn't respond to her conceding they might be having a boy. She kisses him on the cheek and he recoils slightly, but enough for her to notice. Her heart sinks and she fights to prevent the tears from falling.

"I made your favorite everything this morning, babe", trying to recover from his rejection. "I hope you have an appetite", setting a plate in front of him.

"Thank you", he says emotionless.

"Wait, wait", holding up her hand and running over to the refrigerator. "Can't forget your favorite jam."

"Thank you." He eats without much of an appetite.

"Olivia, we'll have to take separate cars today, I have an appointment after work."

"An appointment? You didn't say anything about an appointment", she says, looking at him in surprise.

"I'll be home late tonight so don't wait up."

He takes another sip of his coffee, gives her a quick peck on the cheek, and then leaves quickly from the apartment. She looks around the kitchen at all of the leftover food and wonders why he hardly touched his favorite breakfast. She also wonders why he has started calling her _Olivia_.

This becomes their routine - driving to work in separate cars, him coming home after he thinks she's asleep, which she never is because she doesn't sleep well when he's not home. She wonders what's wrong with him – what's going on. Her thoughts run the gamut of possibilities and she lands on the most frightening explanation for his change in behavior.

Olivia lay in bed waiting for her husband to come home. When she hears his keys slide down the glass bowl that sits atop the little table in the foyer, her body tenses and she closes her eyes. Fitz goes directly into the bathroom and takes a quick shower and brushes his teeth. He walks into the bedroom with a towel draped around his waist and digs in his drawer for pajama pants and a tee shirt. He pulls out a pair of navy blue pants and the blue tee shirt she bought him last week that says _World's Greatest Dad_.

Unable to pretend any longer and determined to get to the bottom of whatever's going on with her husband, Olivia turns on her lamp and stares at him. He looks into her eyes and sees she's been crying.

"Liv …?"

"What's going on, Fitz? You've been acting strange for over a week now. Are you smoking weed or something?"

 _"What?"_ Looking at her incredulously.

"You act like you no longer want to be around here - around me anymore. You leave early in the morning and drive to work alone, which is weird by the way. And we barely talk at work because you hardly spend any time in _our_ office anymore. You come home at night after you think I'm asleep, which I never am. Do you not want to be married to me any longer?" She touches her stomach and the tears threaten to fall.

He feels horrible he's caused his wife so much pain.

"Liv ..."

"Just say it, Fitz. Do you no longer want me? Have you met someone else? Does she …?" Now the tears are falling and she rubs her stomach absently.

Fitz moves to the bed quickly, wrapping his arms around his wife and kissing her tears, trying to console her.

"Shhhh. Don't cry. I'm not cheating. I would never… I love only you."

"But Fitz something's wrong with you", looking into his eyes. "Something's going on."

"I'm stupid and I'm an idiot", he says, cupping her face and kissing her tenderly on the lips.

"What's wrong, Fitz? Do you not - do you not want Junior? Do you not want to be a dad?" Looking at the tee shirt he's wearing.

"Oh, Livvie. Of course I want to be a dad - more than anything." He pulls her onto his lap and she wraps her arms around his waist and lays her head onto his shoulder. He rubs her arm and they sit in silence for a few minutes.

"Liv, honestly, I couldn't take it any more."

She struggles to get off his lap, not wanting to hear what he has to say, but he holds her in place.

"Listen to me. Just listen to me", he says softly, holding her around the shoulder tightly.

"Liv, I love you with all that's in me and there will never be anyone else. You're it for me." He kisses her on the forehead and she relaxes into his embrace.

"Then what couldn't you take any more?" She asks weepily against his chest.

"The sex, Liv. It was just _too_ much. You were killing me. You wanted to do it all the time, and I - I just couldn't take it. I didn't want to say no so I thought if I avoided you things - you would calm down."

She is laughing hysterically. She's laughing so hard she nearly falls off his lap and onto the floor.

"It's not funny, Liv. It was all too much", he says with a pained expression.

"Honey, is that why you've been acting so weird lately?"

He nods.

"You should have said something. You know my hormones are all over the place. Didn't you research that part?"

"I did, actually. Everything was fine for a while, especially after our dry spell. But Liv, you became insatiable. I wasn't ready for that."

"Babe, it was just a phase I was going through. I'm all over that now", waving her hand in the air dismissively. "But Fitz, we have to talk about these things, okay? You had me so worried", swatting him on the shoulder lightly.

"OK", smiling about the silliness of the situation.

"And babe", getting up from his lap and crawling under the covers. "Four more to go", she says smiling.

He looks at his wife and runs a hand through his hair.

 **XXX**

Fitz stands in the middle of the living room, hands on hips, looking around the space while Olivia sits at the desk trying to finalize the contract for their newest client.

"Liv, do you think we need to move - buy a house? I was thinking with Junior coming in a few months we're going to need more space."

 _"What?"_ Olivia looks up at her husband, confused by this unexpected question.

"Think about it, Liv", walking over to his wife who is looking at her husband as if he has lost his mind. "Our family is growing. A whole new person will be living with us soon. This place is going to get crowded real fast."

"Fitz, this place is plenty big for us - it's _huge_ in fact. Junior isn't going to take up much space for quite some time. Besides, I love this apartment. I love the openness and you know how much I love these windows", she says, turning around to look at the windows.

"I don't know, Liv. You should think about it. Junior is going to need a backyard to run around in."

She knows when her husband gets obsessed with an idea there is usually an underlying issue so she walks from the desk and wraps her arms around his waist.

"What's going, babe?" Looking up into his sad eyes. He just shakes his head.

"Tell me. Tell me what's this all about - why do you want to move?" Rubbing his butt lightly.

"It's just - I don't want Junior to ever feel unloved - like he isn't the most important person to us." She nods, prompting him to continue.

"Liv, I grew up on the ranch and it felt like the loneliest place in the world after everything changed. Oma was wonderful, of course, and Cyrus would always stop by, but Liv, it never felt like a home again. I want Junior to grow up in a warm and loving home. I don't want him to ever feel what I felt. I'm not sure if an apartment is where he needs to be", running a hand through his hair.

"Babe, you know your parents loved you so much. They were always active in your life, attending all of your school events, family vacations... Your life was wonderful before Sarah died. Her death affected them – all of you deeply, which doesn't mean they loved you any less. And your mother became ill because the losses were too much for her to handle, but she still loved you, Fitz."

"I know", looking away with tears in his eyes. She gently turns his face to look into his sad eyes and wipes his falling tears with her thumb.

"I was so lonely without them, Liv. They left me all alone."

"I know. I know. They didn't mean to leave you alone. They did the best they could under some terrible circumstances, and we will do our best for Junior. It doesn't matter if we're here in this apartment or in a house with a backyard, we will always make sure Junior knows he's loved. Okay?"

He looks into her loving face for a moment, and then nods his head.

"OK. Maybe we hold off buying a house for now, but there are a few changes I want to make to the nursery that will require a contractor. Okay?"

"OK. She smiles and pecks him on the lips.

 **XXX**

This morning Fitz is ecstatic as he gets ready for their appointment with Dr. Reyes. He didn't sleep well last night because he was too wired. Frankly he's been excited for the last two weeks when Olivia turned five months and they finally got an appointment with Dr. Reyes to find out the gender of their baby. Today they will find out if they are really having a Junior. While he will be happy with either a boy or girl, he really wants their firstborn to be a boy. It's kind of a guy's thing.

It's now 6:30 AM and Olivia is still sleeping. Fitz smiles as he looks at his wife curled up in the middle of the bed with her arm wrapped around his pillow. He'll let her sleep for another hour since their appointment isn't until ten.

Fitz sits at the island in the kitchen drinking coffee and reading the news on his tablet. He shakes his head and frowns deeply as he reads the article about the one-year anniversary of the police shooting of 12-year-old Tamir Rice. He wonders when this shit is going to end. Those poor parents. He can't even imagine what they're going through. He thinks about becoming a parent. He thinks about Junior and he feels a little sad.

 **XXX**

After Dr. Reyes confirmed Fitz' prediction that they are indeed having a boy he accelerates designing the nursery. He spends every day visiting websites to research baby furniture. Tonight he sits at the desk in their apartment with his eyes focused on his laptop screen. Olivia looks over at him a bit annoyed.

"Fitz, how much longer are you going to be? You've been looking at baby stuff all day at the office and now you're doing it at home. I think I'm going to have the boss rescind your Internet privileges at the office so you can get some work done – until your performance improves."

"A few more minutes, Liv", not looking up from the screen.

"Babe, you said that a half hour ago. It's only January, we don't have to decide on furniture right away. Junior won't be here for another four months."

Fitz carries his laptop over to the sofa where Olivia is sitting and plops down next to her.

"Liv, it's going to take at least six to eight weeks for special orders to be delivered. Look at these", almost pushing the screen in her face.

"Fitz, please. Not tonight", pushing the screen away from her face.

"Just look at a few of the ones I bookmarked and tell me what you think", he says excitedly.

She sighs heavily. Frankly she's tired of all of this talk about the nursery. It's only been two weeks since they found out the baby's gender and he's been researching baby furniture for boys ever since. He's beginning to get on her nerves because right now she'd rather be having sexy time with her husband than perusing websites for baby furniture.

 **XXX**

GranPo has begun to make a buzz in the industry and some of the investors who rejected Olivia's business plan last year now want to restart talks about partnering. They really need to consider a partnership because they're going to need more capital to support the growth of the business. Soon they will have to hire additional staff and move to a larger facility because they have definitely outgrown the small office space they've been leasing since last year.

The contacts they made last November when they were in London and Paris are finally paying off. They signed several of the artists and have posted their videos online. Visitors to their website love the new artists and want to know when they will be touring. GranPo is in a really good place now. Life is good.

"Liv, don't forget we're stopping at the baby store down on Strafford after work. They have the set I showed you online last night. I really like that one", looking at his laptop screen intently.

"I haven't forgotten", she says, rolling her eyes. "I have that conference call at three so I'll meet you at the store around four-ish. You can look at furniture but don't buy anything until I get there, babe. I want to see a few more selections before we make a decision."

"That's fine, but I know exactly what I want Junior's nursery to look like. I looked at a few more sites today, but I think I really like the one I showed you last night. You remember it don't you?"

"Fitz, you have shown me so much baby furniture over the last few weeks my head is spinning. I really don't remember what I've seen."

"Come sit with me so I can show it to you again", not looking up from his screen.

"No, Fitz. I have too much _work_ to do. I have to prepare for the conference call. By the way, do you have the monthly financials ready?" She asks, thinking she's going to catch him slacking off.

"Already done, babe. I sent you a copy over an hour ago. Check your email", still not looking up from his screen.

She rolls her eyes again.

 **XXX**

Fitz walks into the upscale baby boutique to look at furniture for Junior's nursery. He smiles because he was right about the gender of their firstborn. They're having a boy and Junior will make his appearance in this world around May 10.

A 30-something blonde sales clerk approaches Fitz when he enters the boutique. She smiles brightly as he stands just inside the doorway, quickly surveying the store's layout: baby clothing in the front, on the right; accessories like bottles, diaper bags on the left; and furniture at the rear of the store.

"Good afternoon, sir. Welcome to Chez Baby Boutique. My name is Rachel. How can I help you today?" She gushes and admires Fitz from head to toe.

"Hello", Fitz says politely with a slight smile, running his hand through his hair. He is used to woman fawning over him but he is never comfortable with that kind of attention.

"Well, my wife and I are expecting and we just found out we're having a boy", smiling brightly. "So I'm here to look at furniture for Jun - our son."

Rachel smiles with her too bright red lipstick. That's wonderful, Mr. ..."

"Grant", smiling politely again.

"Well congratulations, Mr. Grant. I'm sure you and your wife are super excited about having a boy."

"We are", Fitz smiles proudly.

"So, is this your first child?" Rachel asks.

"Yes. One down and four more to go", Fitz boasts.

"Oh, my. You really want a big family", she says smiling into his dancing blue eyes. Rachel thinks Mrs. Grant is one lucky woman to be married to such a hot man who wants to fuck her brains out and make four more babies. She'll sign up for that job any day.

"I - uh - we do."

"Well let me show you where the boys' furniture is located." Fitz follows the woman to the back of the store. "I'll give you some time alone to browse our collections, Mr. Grant. If you don't see anything here you like, we can look through the catalogs in our design center. Okay?"

"Thank you, Rachel."

Rachel smiles too broadly and walks away with a little more sway in her hips. Fitz is really excited about becoming a dad and wants his son to have the best of everything although Olivia doesn't want him to go overboard.

As he walks around the furniture department Fitz is glad to see a wide variety of sets in the store. He even sees several a few of the sets he viewed online. All of the furniture is constructed of solid wood and is hand painted. The styles range from the more traditional to the contemporary. He likes the traditional and knows Olivia will want something more contemporary. He looks at sets that include a crib that can convert to a twin bed when Junior becomes a toddler, a tall dresser, changing table, hamper, and rocker. Each set can be ordered with different finishes. Fitz is partial to the _manly_ espresso finish.

Fitz closely inspects the workmanship of the sets he likes. He opens the dresser drawers to check if dovetail joints were used in the construction. He shakes the crib to test its sturdiness and sits in the rocker checking it for comfort.

The traditional shaker doorbell rings as Olivia enters Chez Baby Boutique. She smiles when she sees the wide variety of baby paraphernalia in so many bright colors. Olivia walks over to the infant boys' clothing section where she sees a powder blue onesie with _Daddy's #1 Baby Boy_ embroidered in white stitching on the front. She grabs it thinking Fitz will definitely love it. Olivia picks up an outfit she thinks will be perfect for Junior to wear home from the hospital. Fitz hasn't thought about any clothes for Junior.

Rachel walks over to greet her newest customer.

"Hi, welcome to Chez Baby Boutique. My name is Rachel. How may I help you today?"

"Hi, Rachel. You have so many beautiful baby clothes, I can just buy them all, but I'm sure my husband would have something to say about that since I've been cautioning him not to go overboard."

"I'm sure", Rachel smiles tightly. "Maybe I should show you our clearance rack?"

Olivia looks at the woman quizzically. "That won't be necessary. When I show my husband these items I'm sure he won't be able to resist buying them. He's quite excited about our pregnancy", she smiles happily.

"That's nice", Rachel says, giving Olivia a faux smile.

"Well my husband should be here by now. I'm meeting him here to select furniture for our son's nursery", smiling and rubbing her barely there baby bump.

"Your husband hasn't arrived yet so you can still browse the store if you like", Rachel says, beginning to walk away.

"Are you sure?" Olivia asks, a bit confused, and glancing around the store quickly. "He left the office …" looking down at her watch, "over an hour ago. He should be here by now", Olivia says frowning slightly.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, I've been her all afternoon and I can assure you that your husband hasn't -"

"Liv. Sweetheart." Fitz calls his wife, waving his hand as he walks from the back of the store with the biggest smile on his face.

The two women give each other a knowing look.

 **XXX**

"Babe, now that we know for sure we're having a Junior, we need to discuss -"

"I don' mean to rub it in -"

"But you will."

"I will. I told you, Liv, I know these things. I knew we were going to have a boy."

She rolls her eyes and slaps his leg with the towel.

"I love our baths, babe. I love listening to the music and relaxing in a hot tub with you at the end of the day. Do you think we'll still have time for our baths once Junior arrives?"

"We'll make time", running his tongue down her spine. He kisses her shoulder. "So what were you going to say?" Sucking on her earlobe.

"We have to start thinking about names, Fitz. We can't call our baby boy Junior forever."

"Why not?" He asks, smiling in her hair."

" _Fitz_ ", swatting him on his bent knee. "Be serious, babe. Have you thought about baby names? Do you want him to be Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the Fourth?"

"Actually I have been thinking about names. I've been thinking about a lot lately, Liv."

"So what names have you come up with?" Leaning into his chest as he massages her full breasts."

"Honestly, Liv, I want Junior to be Fitzgerald the Fourth."

" _Really_?" She says in surprise, turning her head to look at her husband. "I thought you hated your name - I love it by the way", she says, stroking his leg. "You said you were teased all the time as a kid because of your name."

"I was. But Liv, it's a family name. It was my father's name and his father's name. They were great men and I would like to continue the tradition - to honor them. I know he will probably get teased on the playground but we can give him an appropriate nickname." He's getting misty eyed.

Olivia turns and straddles her husband, placing kisses on his eyelids.

"Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the Fourth it is then", swiping her thumbs under his eyes.

"I love you", pecking her lips as he massages her bottom.

"But I get to name the next one. I have girl names all picked out. _We are having a girl next,_ _right_?"

"Trust me, Liv. I know these things."

Olivia slides back into the warm, lavender-scented water and leans into his chest. Fitz' hands find their way back to her breasts.

"So what else have you been thinking about?" Grazing her finger nails up his thigh, leaving red streaks.

"Liv, there's a lot of tension in this country these days around race, and it's been heightened because of the police killings of black men. The whole thing got my attention a few years ago with the Trayvon Martin murder. Liv, that young man was killed simply because he was walking in a neighborhood where someone didn't think he belonged."

She nods her head.

"There have been so many incidents with the police since Trayvon. Liv, the Black Lives Matters activists have gotten my attention. They have demanded the police be held accountable for the shootings of black men. Who can argue with that?"

Feeling his wife's body tense, he kisses her shoulders and wraps his arms around her more tightly. She relaxes into his embrace, somewhat. He's articulating many of the things she's been thinking about lately.

"Liv, you know I didn't grow up in the most diverse environment."

"Yeah, babe. I saw that prep school you went to. Pretty fancy stuff."

"Liv, I'm not going to apologize for my background -"

"I didn't mean to -"

"I know. I'm just saying, I grew up around people who, for the most part, looked like me and we shared similar values. We were privileged and lived in our bubble I guess you can say. Things like what's going on now just weren't a part of my world. I'm concerned about what this world is going to be like for our son – and our other children. I'm concerned how Junior will be viewed by society just because of who he is."

"Fitz, this society views men who look like you differently than men who look like me. If Junior comes out looking like you then the world will treat him one way. But if he doesn't …"

"I know, and I don't know what to do about that. But Liv, I promise you that I will use all of the resources we have to protect our children."

"I know, babe. But that just might not be enough", she says sadly. "We can't keep him in a bubble forever, Fitz."

He nods, holding her more tightly.

"We'll figure it out, Liv. We'll figure it out."

She nods her head as a tear rolls down her cheek.

"I just want him to be safe, Fitz."


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Thanks all for continuing on this Olitz journey that began as a one-shot. The reviews have been funny and poignant. I've had a lot of fun writing this story but it is coming to an end with the next chapter. I had a lot of territory to cover in 18 months and I hope you found it to be entertaining. February marks the 18** **th** **month of their relationship and it spans two chapters. Funny how the shortest month of the year gets two chapters. Go figure!**

 **Chapter 16**

Fitz planned to make this Valentine's Day one of the most memorable days of his wife's life. Last year they weren't in a good place to celebrate the day for lovers. In fact, he would have bet good money they wouldn't be together now. He is so happy he would have lost that bet.

He smiles at his beautiful wife sitting across from him at Harry's Restaurant, savoring her 14 ounce New York strip steak. Both he and Olivia enjoy a really good strip steak, medium rare, and roasted vegetables. Harry's is the best steakhouse in town. Fitz enjoys a nice IPA beer with his steak and his wife enjoys her grape juice in a wine glass. He reaches across the table and caresses her left hand.

"Wife."

She gazes into his dazzling blue eyes and smiles.

"Yes, husband."

"You look absolutely beautiful. Every day you get more beautiful - if that's even possible. You are _literally_ glowing."

They burst into laughing as he absently twists her wedding set around her finger.

"Thank you, baby", she's smiling - all teeth. "You're looking pretty good yourself tonight. I love you in suit."

 _"You do? You've never told me that."_ He looks at his wife in surprise.

"Well, I have to have some secrets." She sips her juice and rubs her shoeless foot up his leg.

His face grows flush and his pants begin to feel slightly uncomfortable.

"Behave. I have more plans for us tonight."

She gives him an _I-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about_ look, now rubbing her foot on his inner thigh. He removes her foot gently, which has gotten dangerously close to his business, and places it on the floor.

"You're being naughty and unfair", taking a sip of water. "Put your shoe back on, we have another stop to make."

"Are you sure, Mr. Grant?"

"You're going to pay later", standing and whispering in her ear. Let's go."

 **XXX**

They walk hand in hand a few blocks from Harry's and stop at the horse-drawn carriage stand. Olivia's eyes grow wide.

"Baby, are we …?"

"Yup." He helps her into the carriage then slides in next to her and kisses her cheek.

"Honey, you have really outdone yourself. I'm loving our Valentine's date."

"I love you, Livvie."

He intertwines their fingers and she rests her head on his shoulder as they sit back to enjoy the ride through the park. As the horses trot down the city streets the couple enjoy the various theme-based store window displays. There is the _How to Mend a Broken Heart_ display where a huge heart is constructed from wood and painted red with a black jagged line slicing through it. Fitz points to the store window with the words _PUCKER UP!_ in huge, red Times New Roman type, which elicits a quick peck from Olivia.

"This is so beautiful, Fitz, seeing downtown at night from this perspective. It's actually a beautiful city. We never take time to enjoy it. We have to change that, babe."

"We do. Now really kiss me", rubbing his cold nose on her cold nose.

With her lips slightly parted Olivia cups his face with her gloved hand and looks deep into his eyes.

"I love you baby, more than anything."

She glides her tongue across his cold lips then presses her lips to his. Fitz encircles her in his arms and kisses her passionately, sliding his warm tongue into her mouth. Exploring her familiar mouth, he moans, getting lost in the feeling. He pulls her into his lap and continues to devour her mouth. She pulls back and laughs out loud because his face is covered with her red lipstick. Olivia pulls a handkerchief from her purse and starts to clean the red stains from his face.

"Leave it. I love it when you brand me, baby."

They get out the carriage at the next block and Fitz leads them up the street.

"Where are we going, Fitz? I'm getting cold."

He smiles and he pulls her into The Windmere Art Museum. The Windmere tells the story of their city's art and artists through a broad range of exhibitions, music events, classes, lectures, and programs. Tonight The Windmere Clef Gallery has been transformed into a jazz club where small tables covered with white linen table cloths co-exist with artwork on the walls from the city's artists. The acoustics in the gallery is perfect for the jazz trio.

The Clef Gallery is packed with lovers ready to experience the tunes of _Upland_ , the most popular jazz trio in their city, who also has a global reputation for fusing traditional jazz with salsa, pop, rock, and soul. Fitz escorts Olivia to their table near the front of the room, where the band will be playing.

"Oh my god, Fitz. How did you get tickets to an Upland event? I love them - they're so popular."

"Liv, I know people. Have you forgotten I work in the entertainment industry?" He smiles cheekily and kisses her hand.

The Upland trio is composed of the bassist, saxophonist, and drummer, who are accompanied tonight by the world-renowned saxophonist Miles Barnes and the up-and-coming pianist and trumpeter Antonio Fraser. The musicians begin to play, starting out with Coltrane, then Dizzy. They play some up tempo George Benson and encourage the patrons to dance. Couples crowd the floor immediately, dancing to the upbeat tune. Fitz smiles at Olivia and escorts her to the dance floor.

"Fitz", grinning from ear to ear. "I can't believe you're going to dance – and in public."

"Liv, I love you, so I am willing to make a fool out of myself, on this floor, and in front of all of these people – all night - as long as you want to dance."

"Yay!" She claps as they walk onto the floor.

The band is playing their rendition of _On Broadway_. Fitz is a little stiff and unsure at first when they step onto the dance floor, but after a few moments he relaxes and moves in beat with confidence. Olivia sways her hips and moves her feet in rhythm, twirling around her husband. She is having the time of her life. They dance to the upbeat tune as the band transitions into a slower tune. Olivia lay her head on her husband's shoulder as they sway to the smooth, melodic sounds of _Time after Time_. The bandleader slows down the pace and announces there will be a 30-minute intermission and the couple laugh hysterically as Fitz escorts his wife back to their table.

"Babe, you have become such a good dancer. I didn't teach you those moves. You had absolutely nothing to worry about", taking a sip of her water.

"I must admit, Liv", smiling proudly. "I've been practicing for a few weeks."

 _"What?"_ Bringing her hand to her chest. "When …? Where …?" I haven't seen you dancing around the apartment."

"When I was planning our Valentine's Day, I knew we had to go dancing since you _love_ to dance. So I've been practicing my moves for the past few weeks - Abby's been working with me."

"Oh, babe, you're too sweet. I love you so much", tears beginning to fall. She fans herself with her hand. "These damn hormones."

"I'm sure Leo is happy my dance lessons have ended", he says, taking a sip of wine.

After the intermission the band starts up again with a smooth tune. Now full of confidence, Fitz escorts his wife to the dance floor again and pulls her close as they sway to the melodic sounds of the band.

 **XXX**

After a few hours of dancing they are both exhausted so Fitz hails a cab outside of the museum. He gives the driver the address to their destination.

"Fitz, what's that address? Where are we going?"

"Hotel", he says, kissing her on the cheek.

" _What?_ Why aren't we going home?"

"One, I want to make love to my very pregnant wife someplace different tonight. Two, the contractor will be at the apartment for the next two days making the changes to Junior's nursery."

" _What?_ " pulling back and looking at him in surprise.

"Don't worry, Liv. You saw all of the plans - no surprises", he says while unbuttoning her coat.

"Are you sure, Fitz?" Now she's beginning to worry.

"Do I have to keep telling you to trust me, Mrs. Grant?" Rubbing his hands inside her thigh.

 **XXX**

He loves the curviness of her body and he silently thanks Junior as he licks and gently sucks her full breasts, then traverses the path down to her growing stomach. Taking time to fully cherish her belly, he glides his tongue around her roundness, enthralled his wife is carrying his son.

"I love you, Livvie – so much. Thank you", he says with huskiness in his voice.

Fitz kisses his way down her stomach, down to her folds, pausing to inhale deeply. He loves her natural scent. He places his large hands on her full hips, holding her in place. She stiffens and he smiles as she braces herself for what is about to come. He has such a wonderful mouth.

He kisses and licks the inside of her folds, inhaling again. Her scent always makes him drunk with desire. He gently spreads her inner lips and rubs his tongue along the inside of the soft flesh and inhales sharply; she squirms under his assault. He flattens his tongue and glides up and down and she grabs the sheets. He feels so good.

"Oh my god, Fitz."

He fucks her with his tongue, darting in and out. He holds her hips tighter - she's trying to escape the pleasure – and continues his assault on her pleasure zone. He is so fucking turned on.

"Don't move, Livvie."

Mouth wide open and eyes closed tightly she nods quickly. Fitz continues darting his tongue in and out, his saliva intermingling with her flowing juices. He brushes his nose against her bud and her legs lock around his head. He licks slowly and deliberately as her arms flail wildly. He knows what she likes. Olivia lifts her bottom from the bed and rides up and down his face, completely lost in the pleasure. He licks and sucks with such fervor she screams to the heavens, inner lips and legs twitching and trembling uncontrollably.

Aware of her round belly Fitz slides up her body and rests on his forearms. He rubs the head up and down her sensitive lips and she jerks again in sheer delight. He slides into her channel and her walls grip his throbbing rod. He pauses because the sensation is wonderful - it's everything. He exhales deep, guttural moans and starts to pump in and out. He loves making love to his wife. Pregnant pussy is so good.

"Livvie, so good. So good, baby."

He swirls his hips and goes deeper and the friction from her gripping walls is glorious. He is so fucking long and hard and wants fuck her all night. He turns them onto their sides and wraps a leg over her hip and glides effortlessly back into her wetness. He loves this position. He loves looking into her eyes as he pumps faster and faster. He's in the zone. His muscles tighten and he stiffens, exploding his juices into the crevices of her channel. He continues to grind, riding out his orgasm. His body is tingling and he smiles in satisfaction. They lay looking into each other's eyes, feeling thoroughly fulfilled and in love.

"Happy Valentine's Day."

 **XXX**

Standing barefoot at the stove wearing his oversized white tee shirt, gray yoga pants, and a sweater, she begins. "I can't believe how much of that stuff you eat. You're gonna get sick", looking up from the pot she's stirring on the stove.

"Never gonna happen, babe", leaning against the counter barefoot and wearing a white tee shirt and navy sweat pants.

"Well, the amount of that stuff you eat can't be healthy. You literally eat like tons of it", smiling at him.

"You weren't complaining when I was eating it off of you last night."

"Not my idea, babe. Not my idea at all. That was all you."

"By the way, it's healthy. It's a fruit", scooping the gooey contents from the jar and licking it off his fingers.

"Are you using your fingers? You should see somebody about that. You know you're going to ruin your appetite? I'm cooking your favorites since it's going to snow all day and we'll be stuck inside. It's Olga's recipe, she would be so proud of how well I'm taking care of you. Do you know how long it takes to prepare this dish? I must be _in love_ or something", she looks at him smiling broadly.

"Let me see."

She lifts the lid and the wonderful aromas are released from the simmering pot.

"That smells good, babe. I can't wait. You're spoiling me."

"I've already spoiled you. You're my big baby", giving him a peck on the lips.

He taps her on the nose. "I'm _your_ big baby. Will I still be your big baby when Junior comes?" He lifts his tee shirt she's wearing and kisses her six-month pregnant belly.

"Babe, you will _always_ be my big baby", giving him a kiss that is quickly turning into something else. His hands find their place on her plump ass and she grazes the hairs at the nape of his neck. They are both moaning. The doorbell rings, interrupting their make-out session and they look at each other and start laughing.

"Saved by the bell", he winks.

"Are we expecting company?" Looking at him curiously.

He shrugs.

"Who would be out in the middle of a snowstorm?" She asks on her way to the door. "I still can't believe we're having _another_ storm in February."

"Whoever it is, tell them I don't share - my woman or my jam."

"You're incorrigible."

Olivia's mouth falls open at the sight of the man standing before her.

 _"Cyrus?"_ She says softly, in surprise.

"Hello, Olivia. You're looking well, as usual. May I come in?"

She wraps her sweater around her body, suddenly feeling cold.

"Who is it, babe?" Walking to the door with the jar of jam in his hand. "Liv ...?"

Fitz stops in his tracks at the sight of the man standing in their doorway. It's been four months since they found out the man had been spying on them. Cyrus looks between the two and thinks, _oh god, they're now dressing alike_.

 _"What the hell are you doing here, Cyrus?"_

"Fitz." Olivia tries to calm down her husband.

"That's okay, Olivia. He has his reasons. Hello, Fitzgerald. It's good to see you", extending a handshake.

Fitz ignores the gesture.

"Again, what are you doing here? What do you want?"

"May I come in?"

 _Silence._

Fitz eyes the old man suspiciously then looks at Olivia. She nods. She knows the two men need to talk. She hangs Cyrus' coat in the closet near the front door and he follows them slowly down the foyer into the spacious living room. He looks around the room and shakes his head, remembering the many drinks and cigars he and his protégé shared in this room over the years.

"Have a seat, Cyrus. I'll leave you two alone to talk", beginning to make her way to their bedroom.

"No! This is your home - our home. Whatever he has to say he can say to both of us", glaring at Cyrus.

"Actually, what I have to say I need to say to both of you."

"Sit, Cyrus. Can I get you something - coffee?"

"No, no thank you, Olivia", waving his hand.

Cyrus sits on the chair across from where the couple sit on the sofa. Olivia takes the jam from Fitz' hand, who has a death grip on the jar, and sets it onto the coffee table. He looks at them and thinks they look ridiculous with jelly on her nose and jelly on his cheek. They look ridiculously happy.

"You both have jelly - on your faces", swiping his hand in the air to indicate where the jelly is on their faces.

They look at each other and smile, not bothering to remove the evidence of their ridiculousness. "It's jam", they say in unison.

Cyrus nods his head wondering if there is a difference. Olivia notices Cyrus staring at her bare feet, displaying all 10 toes each painted a different color. She blushes. "Fitz got carried away with the nail polish."

"And you as well", he smiles, lifting his bare left foot showing his toes painted similar to his wife's.

"But I just painted one foot", giggling and elbowing him lightly.

Fitz wraps his arm around Olivia's shoulder and kisses her on the right temple. They smile at each other. Cyrus shakes his head and clears his throat,

"As I was saying …"

They sit up straight, plastering on their serious faces.

 **XXX  
**

"Fitzgerald, Big Gerry and Catherine were my dearest friends - we were much more than business partners. I've never seen two people more in love than Gerry and Catherine Grant. They loved each other deeply - did everything together. They loved their children deeply as well. As you know Sarah was a sickly child from birth. She never really had a chance, but Catherine wouldn't hear it. She wanted to give the little girl every opportunity for a meaningful life."

"Gerry confided in me they were both concerned they were neglecting you to give Sarah the attention they believed she needed. Until Sarah came along it was just the three of you. God, they loved you more than anything. Gerry was so proud of you. He took you into the office frequently, showing you off to the partners, telling them you were the next in charge. Everyone around the office called you Junior."

Olivia and Fitz look at each. He really doesn't remember being called Junior as a child.

"Gerry knew they were taking a gamble by focusing on Sarah. Although you were young he hoped he and Catherine had demonstrated how much they loved you over the years and you would understand that Sarah would need their attention for a while."

Fitz turns his head, fighting back the tears. Olivia squeezes his hand, seeing her husband becoming emotional.

"After Sarah's … not too much longer after Sarah passed, Gerry was diagnosed with heart disease. He knew he didn't have much time left. He was concerned about leaving you and Catherine alone. He wanted you two to be taken care of and he asked me to make sure you and Catherine were going to be okay. He had taken care of the financial side but needed someone to support the two of you emotionally."

This trip down memory lane is beginning to overwhelm Fitz. He is hearing about things he knew nothing of. Children don't know about the struggles of the parents – the tough decisions they have to make. He walks to the bar and pours himself a drink.

"So is that why you're here, Cyrus, to take a trip down memory lane? Do you want me to say how grateful I am for fulfilling my father's wishes? I believe I've done enough of that, thank you."

Fitz sips on the scotch.

"I now nor ever wanted or needed your gratitude, Fitzgerald. I did what I did because my dear friend asked me to take care of his family - and because I love you like a son."

Fitz shakes his head, losing the battle to fight back the tears. He takes a long sip of scotch and continues staring out the window. Olivia remained on the sofa, angling her body to watch the two broken men have the long overdue talk.

"A son? Humph, that's a joke", he scoffs. "A son you obviously have no respect for. A son whose personal and professional decisions never measured up to your expectations. And by the way, you never hesitated in letting me know - in making me feel insignificant."

 _Silence._

"Fitz, I have always been proud of you. Gerry and Catherine would also be proud of the man you have become. I know I am not the warmest individual and I can appear to be harsh and unforgiving at times, but I needed to prepare you for life. I couldn't – wouldn't overlook some of the poor decisions you made as a young man. You would have gone off the rails if I didn't speak up, challenge your choices. I would have done you and your parents a disservice if I didn't correct you – make decisions for you. You were young, Fitz. You didn't know what you didn't know. You were - _are_ so idealistic. Gerry and Catherine encouraged that in you. You needed your idealism to be balanced with reality. I served as your reality check."

"Is that what you call it - a reality check?" Fitz says with bitterness.

 _"Damn right, Fitzgerald. Stop being a damn baby!"_

 _"Get out, Cyrus_!"

"I'm not going any damn where until I finish saying what I came here to say. Yes, you have a lot to be angry with me about, but you can never question if I always acted with your best interest in mind."

"That's just it, Cy, you continued to make decisions about my life as if I were still that kid." Fitz turns to face the old man, staring him directly in the eyes. Sad blue eyes challenging sad blue eyes.

"Cy, I appreciate everything you've done for me and my mother. I appreciate that you kept my father's wishes. You were my life line after dad died and mom retreated within herself - I had no one. I felt so alone. You coming around the house spending hours with me, listening to me talk about anything and everything meant the world to me. You introduced me to all the right people, which was invaluable. Most of those people had forgotten about dad. Cy, you attended many of my school events and every graduation. I loved you like a father."

Cyrus hears the man speak of his love for him in the past tense. His lips twitch.

"But Cyrus, you wanted to continue making decisions about my life when I became a grown man. I'm not a fool. I know I'm idealistic, but I never let my idealism override my common sense. But you never gave me credit for that. Rather than discuss my ideas you would dismiss them as if I were still a child, and that was plain disrespectful. And maybe it's my fault for not speaking up."

"Fitz -"

" _No, let me finish._ I would not change any of the time we spent together. Those times were invaluable for me. I will never forget them."

The old man reaches inside his suit jacket, pulls out his handkerchief, and blows his nose.

"As the father figure in my life your opinion has always been important to me. I listened to and followed most of the advice you gave me, and most of what you advised me worked out well. But Cyrus, I could not - would not listen to what you had to say about the woman I love. I came to my father to announce that I found the love of my life, and by the grace of god she agreed to marry me. I wasn't asking for your permission, I was seeking your blessing. And rather than be happy for me - like a good father", anger rising again, "you berated me and said those horrible things."

Fitz pours himself another drink and walks back to the sofa, sits next to his wife, and lifts her hand to his lips. She strokes his face, giving him a sad smile. Cyrus continues to stand in front of the windows, looking at the snow falling more heavily. He shakes his head, turns, and walks back to his seat across from the couple.

"Olivia, Fitzgerald, I was wrong. I've had over a year to think about my behavior - the things I said. I was angry, hurt - hell, I was _scared_." The couple look at him strangely, not expecting to hear that admission.

"I was being selfish because I saw that I was losing you. But that's no excuse for my behavior. While you've dated other women in the past, none of them ever posed a threat- you just never seemed to care enough about any of them. But I knew before you even knew that Olivia was the real deal."

The couple look at each other again with wide eyes.

"Yes, I should have been happy for you - for both of you. But when I saw that I was losing my - losing you, I resorted to some ugly tactics that backfired on me. I lost what I was trying to hold on to."

Looking directly at Olivia, the old man begins.

"Olivia, I am _truly_ sorry for the _ugly and horrible_ things I said. They were uncalled for and you didn't deserve that. You are a bright and accomplished woman and attorney. I don't know if you can ever find it in your heart to forgive me and I'll understand if you cannot. I am not, nor have I ever been a racist. I played an old and outdated card and I am so sorry."

Olivia is flabbergasted by what is transpiring, it is all so unexpected. She stares at the old man blankly. Fitz squeezes her hand and kisses her cheek. The three sit in uncomfortable silence for a while, not knowing where they go from here.

"Earlier I said I've never seen a couple more in love than Gerry and Catherine, but that's not true. Olivia, you have made Fitzgerald a very happy man. Gerry and Catherine would have loved you like a daughter. I know you love Fitzgerald dearly, always putting his needs before yours. You are exactly what he needs and I know Fitzgerald loves you more than anything. I haven't seen him this happy since ... I think the love you two have for each other rivals your parents, Fitzgerald. It's clear to anyone who has eyes."

"Excuse me, I have something on the stove." Needing to get away from the emotionally charged room, Olivia walks into the kitchen to check on the simmering pot.

The two men stare into each other's eyes, trying to find some remnant of their past relationship. Fitz looks at the old man thinking how much he seems to have aged over the past year - he looks thinner, almost frail. He doesn't look like the strong business tycoon he's known all of his life. Olivia returns, taking her seat next to her husband. She interlaces her fingers with his and he looks at her and smiles lovingly.

"I didn't plan to take up so much of your time today", Cyrus says, looking again out the windows at the falling snow. "It's really coming down out there."

"Cyrus", Fitz begins. I - we appreciate all that you've said today. But it's up to Liv to determine if she can ever forgive you. Honestly, I can't offer you forgiveness – not just yet."

Cyrus nods his head, not expecting forgiveness today. "I understand."

"And Cyrus, none of what you just said exonerates you from spying on GranPo – on us. You _actually_ sent someone into our offices to steal information about our business. _That's_ unforgivable."

"Let me explain, please", imploring the couple's hardened faces.

 **Flashback – August Last Year**

Cyrus and Fitz sit in the smooth leather booth at Preggio's, waiting for their talent to arrive with his attorney, Olivia Pope. Cyrus is sweating profusely so he takes another sip of water.

"I fucking hate August in this city. You would think at these prices they would have a working air conditioner in this damn restaurant."

"Cy, are you all right? You've been looking peaked for a few weeks now."

"I'm fine. I just have a summer cold that won't go away."

"You should see a doctor about that, it's been going on too long."

Cyrus waves his hand in the air dismissively.

"Fitzgerald, once this final deal is done, I'm turning over the keys to the kingdom to you. I'm out of this city - this rat race. We - _I'm_ retiring to Hawaii and won't be looking back."

"That's good, Cy. You deserve it. You've worked hard to build your company and I appreciate the confidence you have in my abilities to take the reins. Thanks for the confidence in me. I really appreciate it."

 **November – Three Months Later**

"So Mr. Beene, tell me how long have you been experiencing these symptoms?"

"Well, Dr. Higher, the symptoms started back in August."

"Three months ago? Why are you just coming in?"

"A lot has happened over the past three months, doc. I was planning on retiring to Hawaii at the end of the year but it became necessary for me to stay on a little longer. So, I've been a little busy."

"I see. I'll send Aidina in to draw some blood. Maybe your blood work will give us a clue as to what's going on. The flu doesn't typically last for three months."

"I'm sure it's nothing, doc. I've just been under a lot of stress lately."

The doctor nods his head. I will get back to you in a couple of days with the test results. We'll see where we go from there. Okay?"

"Thanks, doc."

 **Two Days Later**

"Mr. Beene, this is Dr. Higher. I have the results of your blood tests. I would like to discuss them with you today. Can you come to my office this afternoon?"

"Of course, of course. Is there anything you can tell me now? Honestly, you're making me a bit nervous, doc."

"Can you be at my office at two this afternoon?"

"Yes, yes. I'll see you at two." Cyrus disconnects the call and stares at the phone, wondering what Dr. Higher is unwilling to share over the telephone.

Cyrus feels like he has been sucker punched. The blood has drained from his face and his head is spinning. He didn't hear anything else after the doctor said _HIV_. He sits in the back of his limousine, stunned. His life has been changed by three letters. The driver waits patiently for instructions. Fifteen minutes pass.

"Sir, where would you like to go?"

Cyrus didn't know where he wanted to go. Where does one go after receiving such devastating, life-changing news? In that moment he realizes how alone he is. He misses Fitzgerald.

When the obviously shaken older man did not respond, James dispenses with the formalities. After all, it is ridiculous to pretend when it's just the two of them in the car.

"Cyrus, is everything all right?" Turning around and looking at his _friend_ with concern.

"Just drive, James."

James drives Cyrus around the bustling city until the sun begins to set. It's now the violet hour.

"Take me home, James", Cyrus says tiredly.

"Yes, sir."

"James, we will need to talk tomorrow", Cyrus says solemnly as he climbs out the back of the limousine.

Cyrus enters his mansion and stands in the huge foyer, looking around at the expanse of emptiness. Although the house is filled with the best furniture, artwork - the best of everything - in the end it's just stuff. Stuff that cannot talk to him. Stuff that cannot comfort him at the lowest point in his life. He drops to his knees, onto the Italian Carrera tile floor, and cries out loud like a wounded animal. He lay on the cold, expensive floor until the sun begins to rise.

Cyrus starts taking the cocktail of drugs immediately that Dr. Higher prescribed. He has at least a half dozen of pills he has to take two times a day. Within a month, the flu-like symptoms and the night sweats have dissipated. He can function better, but his sentence weighs heavily on him. With no real family to speak of, other than ..., he realizes he has to get his shit together. He has to get his affairs in order.

 _Time is running out._

 **XXX**

Cyrus has been tracking Fitz and Olivia's activities since Fitz left The Beene Group last year in November. The private investigators he hired to watch them gave him weekly updates about the couple's activities. They reported on their Christmas party and who was in attendance. They reported on Olivia's visits to Dr. McManus. They reported on their wedding at the vineyard. They also reported on their honeymoon at the ranch in Santa Barbara. The investigators have eyes on Fitz and Olivia's every movement. But Cyrus needed more. He needed to know about the GranPo business and if it is going to be a success or a failed venture Fitzgerald is financing for Olivia.

Cyrus concocted a plan he thought would bring his son home. Time was running out for him and he needed to make sure the empire he built was left in the right hands - in the hands of the man he groomed to succeed him. But Cyrus knew Fitz was blindly dedicated to Olivia. He knew Fitz would use all of his resources to make Olivia's dream a success. But Cyrus also knew Fitz would not continue to invest in a failing business. And that's what he was counting on. He was banking that GranPo would fail.

If GranPo fails, perhaps he could lure Fitzgerald back to The Beene Group, with the promise of financing GranPo. GranPo is the key – Olivia is the key, so Cyrus thinks. Cyrus' plan fell apart, however, because Jon was caught spying and Fitz found out who was behind the entire scheme.

 _Time is running out._

 **Present Day**

The snow continues to fall as Cyrus starts to pitch his idea to the couple.

"Fitzgerald, Olivia. I know your company, GranPo, isn't doing well. You know I've seen the financials. While I'm not proud about how I came by that information, I had my reasons."

They couple frown at the old man because his statement is a reminder of the violation.

"From where I sit, you have a three options: 1) Continue to self-finance, which you both know isn't wise. 2) Partner with one of the sharks who will want a significant percentage of your business ..."

The couple look at him, waiting for the man to present what he thinks is their final and most plausible option.

"And the final option, in your opinion?" Fitz asks.

"Come home. Take the helm of The Beene Group. Do what you were meant to do. Use The Beene Group resources to provide GranPo the financial support it woefully needs. You two have a good business model but you won't be able to take it to the next level, grow the business unless you have additional capital - capital from someone who won't stick it to you. I offer to finance GranPo as an entity independent of The Beene Group. No strings attached."

Fitz and Olivia look stunned. This unexpected visit is becoming more intriguing.

"So let me get this straight", Fitz says, eyeing Cyrus carefully. "You are offering to invest in GranPo and let it remain a sole entity if I come back to Beene as President and CEO?"

"Yes", the old man says flatly, tapping his fingers on the arm of the chair.

Fitz shakes his head. "Well, that sounds like a string to me, Cyrus."

Cyrus looks between the couple trying to read their faces.

"Well, I must be going", standing from his seat. Looking around the space he says, "I've always loved this apartment, especially the windows."

They walk the man to the door and Fitz gets Cyrus' coat from the closet.

"Well, think about my offer", he says sliding on his coat.

"Cyrus, stay for dinner. I made one of Olga's recipes", Olivia offers.

"Now that sounds tempting, Olivia, but I must go. James has the car waiting for me downstairs. Fitzgerald …", he nods at the younger man. Fitz extends a handshake. The old man gives him a slight smile and shakes the hand.

"Good, night. And by the way", stopping and turning inside of the doorway. Congratulations on your marriage."

Fitz and Olivia walk to the kitchen hand in hand to check on the simmering pot.

"I'm sorry, Liv. I don't have much of an appetite now."

"Me either", she says, turning off the low flame under the simmering pot.

"Let's watch the snow?"

"OK."

They walk to the windows and Fitz pulls the chair from the desk and sits in front of the wall of windows. He pulls Olivia onto his lap and his hands encircle her stomach.

"I love you so, so much", he says, nuzzling his face into her neck.

"I know. I love you, too."

The snow continues to fall, blanketing the city – lighting the night.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

A few weeks have passed since Cyrus visited Olivia and Fitz at their apartment in the middle of the snowstorm. There has been such a whirlwind of activity at GranPo with new artists coming onboard, drafting new contracts, and booking tour dates, they have not had the opportunity to discuss Cyrus' proposition. After a long day at the office they sit in bed, winding down from their work day.

"Fitz", squeezing lotion into her hands. "I don't think Cyrus is telling us everything."

"I agree, babe. This deal he's offering doesn't make any sense. The deal is based on the premise that GranPo is failing, which isn't true I'm proud to say."

"Thanks to my smart, Harvard-educated husband", she smiles looking over at her husband who is reading something on his tablet.

"And my smart attorney-wife." He says, looking over at Olivia and smiles.

"Thank you, baby."

"Liv, Cyrus is clueless about GranPo's finances. The data Jon gave him was outdated."

"I know, babe. The sharks are begging to partner with us now that they see we have a successful business model. Just a few months ago we couldn't get much of their attention. Things are finally looking up for us, Fitz. If we choose to establish a partnership with Cyrus or any other shark, we are definitely in the driver's seat."

He nods, seemingly in deep thought.

"Liv, I would like to meet with Cyrus to find out what's really going on", looking up from his tablet. "Something just doesn't feel right about his proposition. Would you be okay if I met with him alone - to try to figure out what's he up to?"

"Of course, babe. Do what you need to do. _Oh, my_ ", she says, grabbing the left side of her stomach.

"What's the matter?" He asks, looking at her worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine - we're fine. Junior just gave me a big kick."

Fitz puts down his tablet and crawls across the bed smiling.

"Let me feel", Fitz says excitedly.

Olivia grabs his hand and places it on the left side of her stomach where Junior kicked a few seconds ago. He's smiling, waiting in anticipation for Junior to do his thing again.

 _"Oh my god, Liv. I felt it. Does it hurt?"_

"No, babe. I just wasn't expecting it. He's been quiet all day."

"That's my boy", he says with the biggest smile and brightest eyes.

 **XXX**

Fitz looks in the floor-length mirror in their bedroom as he fastens on his wrist the gold Rolex watch Cyrus gave him last year when he agreed to assume the leadership of The Beene Group. Today he is wearing a navy blue pinstripe suit, crisp white shirt, blue tie, and his shoes are polished to a high sheen. He looks every bit the corporate executive. His attire isn't as formal at GranPo, it's a much more relaxed environment. He can't decide which culture he prefers.

Fitz walks into the kitchen where Olivia is preparing breakfast and places his suit jacket on the back of his chair.

"Baby, you look so handsome this morning. You know I always love when you wear a suit. I get so turned on when you get all dressed up", wrapping her arms around his waist and giving him a deep kiss.

"Junior", he says, looking down at Olivia's stomach. "Tell your mother to get back. We don't have time this morning", giving her a peck on her nose and a pat on her plump bottom.

"Baby, are you okay – are you ready for this meeting with Cyrus this morning?" Pulling back and looking into his eyes.

"I am, Liv. I need to find out what's going on with him. Something just isn't right", he says, reaching for his coffee mug.

She nods, grazing her finger nails through the soft hairs at the nape of his neck.

 **XXX**

Fitz feels strange walking down the halls of The Beene Group again. It feels like it's been forever since he's been in the building. While everything looks the same so much has changed – he has changed. He's a different man – a better man. With a broad smile spread across her face Lauren stands quickly from her seat, clasping her hands in front of her chest.

"Mr. Grant, it's so good to see you again. It's been much _too_ long."

"It's good to see you too, Lauren. How have you been?" He asks, smiling and placing a hand on Lauren's shoulder.

"I've been well, sir. And how is Mrs. Grant? She was such a lovely bride."

"Olivia is doing well. I'll tell her you asked. Lauren, can you keep a secret?" Fitz asks as if he's about to share some national security information.

"Of course", looking at Fitz sincerely and nodding her head.

"Well", Fitz begins. "Olivia and I are expecting. We're due in three months - in May", he says with the biggest smile stretched across his face.

Lauren brings a hand to her mouth, covering her equally wide smile. "Oh, Mr. Grant", lowering her voice, remembering what they're discussing is a secret. "That's just wonderful. Congratulations. Do you know if you're having a boy or a girl?" Lauren whispers.

"It's a boy", he grins, nodding vigorously.

"A baby boy", Lauren gushes. "Tell Mrs. Grant I said congratulations. I hope I can get a picture because I'm sure you and Mrs. Grant are going to make beautiful babies."

"I'll make sure you get a picture, Lauren."

"Thank you", she whispers as Cyrus opens his office door.

 **XXX**

"Cyrus", Fitz offers a handshake. "Thank you for making time to see me today."

"Of course, of course. Any time, Fitzgerald. Come in. Have a seat." Cyrus glances at Lauren's beaming face and wonders what has her so happy. "Hold all my calls, Lauren", he says gruffly.

Cyrus walks around his desk and sits down in his huge, black leather chair. Fitz' eyes sweep the room quickly before sitting in one of the plush chairs in front of the desk. He thinks about the last time he was in this office and shakes his head. The two men look at each other trying to figure out how to start the difficult conversation. Cyrus begins as he lowers himself into his chair.

"So, Fitzgerald, I assume you're here to let me know if you're going to take me up on my offer to invest in GranPo _if_ you return to The Beene Group as President and CEO. This is where you belong", he adds quickly.

"Cyrus, I love my work at GranPo. Liv and I are building something that will be great one day. It might not become The Beene Entertainment Group, but that's not what we're trying to achieve."

Cyrus looks at Fitz, sensing the younger man has more to say, so he nods his head, encouraging Fitz to continue. Fitz shifts in his seat and continues.

"Cyrus, Olivia and I have not made a decision about your proposition, although it's an interesting offer. We're going to need more time to think about it."

Cyrus nods and stares intently at Fitz.

"But that's not what today is about – it's not why I'm here today, Cyrus." Fitz leans forward in the chair and rests his arms on his thighs. "As interesting as your offer sounds, I can't help but think there is something more to it – that something else is going on." Fitz looks at his old friend for a sign the man is willing to come clean and share more about what is really going on.

Cyrus remains silent, not willing to show his cards until he knows what's on Fitz' mind.

Sensing Cyrus isn't going to be more forthcoming, Fitz continues. "Cyrus, when you visited our home a few weeks ago you made a lot of assumptions about GranPo's financials, which were incorrect. Your assumptions are based on inaccurate information that _Jon_ provided you."

It's now Cyrus' turn to shift nervously in his seat.

"While I won't go into details about the financial health of our business Cyrus, I can assure you the business is sound financially." Fitz stares at the old man.

Surprised by the new information Cyrus' lips twitch and his eyebrows stretch upward. He inhales deeply and leans back into his plush leather chair and remains silent.

 _Time is running out._

"Cyrus, I just feel there is something you're not telling me. I'm here today - talking to you one on one - about what's really behind your offer."

"There's nothing else going on here, Fitzgerald", Cyrus says tersely. "Everything is as I presented it to you and Olivia. If GranPo is doing well then I guess there isn't anything more to say."

Fitz looks pleadingly at the frail man, giving him another chance to share what's going. "Are you sure there isn't anything else you want to tell me, Cy?" Fitz is no longer in business mode. His tone is softer.

Cyrus looks at the younger man for a while, pondering what he should say, if anything. Not wanting Fitz' pity, he remains silent. Fitz eyes Cyrus carefully, more convinced he's not gotten the complete story. He shakes his head and reluctantly stands and walks toward the door. Fitz stops midway and turns to Cyrus one last time.

"Good-bye, Cy."

Fitz' words sound so final.

 _Time is running out._

Cyrus needs to decide quickly if he is going to come clean or if he is going to maintain the charade. He stands quickly from his seat and leans onto his desk.

"Fitzgerald ..."

For the next hour Cyrus tells Fitz everything about his diagnosis. With a degree of shame, he tells him about his relationship with James and wonders if Fitz will judge him. He tells him it was always his dream that Fitz would one day lead The Beene Group. And he tells him about the love he has always had for him, since her was a boy.

Fitz feels like the floor has opened beneath him and he is falling down a black hole without a life line. He can't believe what his _father_ is telling him; it's too heart-wrenching. The two men cry together.

 **XXX**

It's February and the outside temperature is 17° F but Olivia works at the desk in their apartment wearing the tiniest black shorts and a white camisole because she's hot all of the time. She smiles when she hears his key slide into the front door lock and waits for the familiar sounds she knows so well. First he'll drop his keys into the crystal bowl that sits atop the little table in the foyer. Next, he'll hang his coat in the closet. Then, he'll remove his shoes and walk into the living announcing, _honey I'm home._

She stands immediately, dropping her eyeglasses onto the desk when she hears his heavy footsteps on the hardwood floor that leads to the spacious living room. _Something's wrong._

He stands in the space between the foyer and living room and looks across the room at her. He's been cracked open and she's in front of him in an instant.

 _What the fuck did Cyrus do to him? I'll personally kick his old ass if he has pulled some new shit._

.

 _"Fitz, what happened? What's the matter?"_ She asks nervously, looking into his cloudy, blue eyes.

"Liv ..." He manages to say.

They stare at each other, him with pain in his eyes and her with fear in hers. Her heart hammers in her chest and she holds her breath. He clenches the keys in his hand so tightly his knuckles turn a pale shade of white. Olivia gently removes the keys from his hand. She slides his coat over his shoulders, down his arms, and tosses it onto the back of the sofa. She guides him to the sofa where he sits, staring across the room blankly. After some time he lay his head on her lap and wraps an arm around her leg, not wanting her to move. He's home with his wife – safe. His body begins to tremble and tears stream down his face.

"Let it out, babe. Let it out", she says, stroking his head.

Through the tears he tells her everything. He tells her about Cyrus' diagnosis. He tells her about Cyrus' long-term relationship with James. He tells her about the plan Cyrus concocted to get him to return to The Beene Group. Olivia is shocked. They sit in silence for a long time, neither knowing what to say. She massages his scalp absently as his tears roll down her bare thigh. After a few minutes he turns on his side and places the softest kiss on her stomach. He closes his eyes and lay like that until sleep overtakes him.

As the sun sets Olivia pulls Fitz' coat from the back of the sofa and drapes it over him. She doesn't sleep. She sits up throughout the night, with his head in her lap, and thinks. She thinks about the pain her husband is feeling. She doesn't like when he's hurting. She thinks about Cyrus' visit to the apartment a few weeks ago and shakes her head. It all makes sense now. She thinks about GranPo. The sun begins to rise and Fitz stirs from his slumber, wrapping his arms more tightly around her waist. He nuzzles his face in her stomach and she strokes his hair.

"Hi", she says softly, grazing her fingernails through his hair.

"Hi", he says hoarsely, into her stomach.

They shower together in silence. There isn't anything sexual about this shower. There is no kissing, no sucking, and no thrusting. This is her taking care of him – her cleansing his body and his pain. It's them sharing a level of intimacy with which they are familiar. So she washes him as he stands with his back against the wall, eyes closed, tears intermingling with the water streaming down his face.

Olivia prepares breakfast while Fitz gets dressed. When she hears him walking down the long hall from their bedroom she places his mug of coffee on the island. He looks tired and sad as he enters the kitchen. He wraps his arms around her waist and buries his face in her neck. They stand in silence for a few minutes.

"Thank you", he says, hugging her more tightly.

"You never have to thank me for loving you. We're in this together."

He sits at the island and she follows him.

"Liv, I cut him out of my life when he needed me the most. He's been living with - been ill all of this time."

Olivia places a small hand on top of his larger hand and shakes her head.

"No, Fitz. I will not let you blame yourself for this. You have nothing to feel guilty about."

"He was always there for me and -"

"You didn't know, babe. As horrible as Cyrus' illness is, it's not _your_ fault you two have been estranged this past year. You have to separate the two."

He looks into her wide eyes and she continues.

"Fitz, we can't prevent bad things from happening. The reality is that at some point in life, we all go through struggle. We don't get to choose what those challenges are or when they're going to happen. We learned that the hard way." She looks intently into his eyes. "But, babe, we _do_ get to choose how we respond to them", she says tenderly, rubbing his hand.

He nods his head slowly, processing what she said.

"Cyrus' illness is not the end. HIV is not the death sentence it used to be, babe. Many people live a full life with HIV. But, he is going to need you - your help."

He looks at her curiously.

"You need to go back - go back to Beene and run the company for him."

He looks at her in surprise, opening his mouth to protest.

"Just listen to me, okay? I know you're torn between your loyalty to GranPo and your loyalty to Cyrus."

He's shaking his head 'no' and goes to pour himself another cup of coffee. Sitting down again, he begins.

"Liv, this is not about my _loyalty_ to GranPo. GranPo is _our_ business, something we're building together. We've worked tirelessly for over a year to establish our company in a tough and unforgiving industry. I can't just walk away from that – I won't."

"And you don't have to. I'll run GranPo and keep you updated on everything."

"Liv, I manage the financial aspects of GranPo and you manage the talent. Plus, Junior is going to be here in three months. It'll be too much. I don't want you stressed."

"We'll figure it out babe, but we don't have to figure it out right at this moment. GranPo will be fine, Junior is going to be fine, and _we're_ going to be fine. But Fitz, if you decide to return to Beene, I don't want to be in partnership with Cyrus. I want to keep our companies separate."

He looks at his wife for a long moment, then nods.

"Liv, no matter what we decide, Cyrus is going to retire to Hawaii – with James."

 **XXX**

Cyrus sits at the table in their favorite steakhouse waiting for his dinner guests to arrive. Tonight he'll find out if his son is coming back home - if Fitz is going to assume the leadership role for which he has been groomed. Cyrus knows Fitz' decision will depend on what Olivia wants to do. He realizes he has to accept the level of influence she has over him. He has learned the hard way not to interfere in their relationship. Even if Fitz doesn't return to Beene, he will not risk losing him again. He will no longer try to control Fitzgerald Grant.

 **XXX**

Their meeting with the new GranPo investor ran over the allotted time because Fitz vigorously argued the terms of the agreement to ensure Olivia would have full control of the company and all major decisions. After several hours of negotiating, the investor agrees to Fitz' terms.

"You drive a hard bargain, Fitzgerald", Anderson says. "And you and Olivia call me the shark", Anderson McDermott says smiling.

"Send the revised contract to our offices, Anderson", Olivia says standing from her seat.

Fitz quickly helps her up and walks over to the plush sofa to retrieve their coats.

"Anderson, we must be going", Fitz says, extending a handshake to the portly man who has walked from around his desk.

"Well that's a shame. I was hoping we could go out for a celebration."

"Another time, Anderson", Fitz says as he helps Olivia into her coat.

Fitz is sliding on his coat when Anderson walks toward Olivia.

"Olivia, you are absolutely radiant. May I have a hug to seal the deal?"

 _"No!"_ Fitz says and places himself protectively in front of his wife.

"I meant know offense - disrespect Olivia, Fitzgerald."

 _"Good night, Anderson"_ , Fitz says abruptly as he escorts Olivia out of the office.

 _"Fucking asshole"_ , Fitz whispers to his wife as they walk toward the elevator.

 **XXX**

Olivia and Fitz are running a few minutes late for their next appointment because their meeting with the investor ran overtime. They walk through the restaurant hand in hand to meet their dinner guest. Cyrus spots the couple quickly and stands to greet them as they approach the table.

"Olivia, Fitzgerald. Good to see you both", he smiles nervously.

Cyrus shakes Fitz' hand and is unsure how to greet Olivia so he extends a hand to her as well. Olivia slides into the booth and Fitz sits next to her.

"I'm sorry we're late, Cyrus", reaching for the glass of water. "Our previous appointment ran a bit over."

"No problem. No problem at all", Cyrus says, waving his hand dismissively.

"Olivia you look absolutely radiant. Married life seems to be treating you well - both of you", Cyrus corrects quickly. He's not sure how to make small talk with them after everything that has happened.

"Thank you, Cyrus", Olivia says, reaching for her water.

Cyrus waves over their waiter.

"Let's have something a little stronger than water, shall we?" Looking between the couple.

"I'll have the usual and Liv will have -"

"Cabernet", Cyrus finishes Fitz' thought. "I remember quite well."

Olivia looks at Fitz.

"Olivia isn't drinking tonight, Cyrus."

Cyrus' eye dart between the couple, giving them a questioning look.

"Cyrus, Olivia and I are expecting", he says proudly, as if he couldn't wait to share that bit of news. "We're having a baby in three months."

Cyrus' eyes bulge, then he recovers as he looks across the table at the smiling faces.

"Oh my. I guess that accounts for your radiance. Congratulations, to both of you."

"Thank you, Cyrus. I'll just have a glass of grape juice."

Fitz kisses her on the temple and adds, "Make sure it's served in a wine glass."

Olivia smiles and elbows him lightly.

"What?" He says, looking at her grinning. "That's how you drink it at home."

He knows she's going to get him when they get home but he doesn't care because he's feeling good. Life is good. Cyrus stares at the couple engage in playful banter and internally shakes his head.

"Grape juice in a wine glass it is then", Cyrus says as the waiter arrived.

After dinner and a lot of uncomfortable small talk the trio is ready to address the purpose of the dinner meeting.

"So", Cyrus begins as he runs his hairy fingers up and down the sweating tumbler of vodka on the rocks. "Have you thought about my offer?"

The couple look at each other and Olivia nods to her husband. He nods back and Cyrus restrains himself from rolling his eyes.

"Cyrus", Fitz begins. "Olivia and I have given your proposal a great deal of thought, and we have decided to decline your offer to invest in GranPo."

Cyrus nods. He's a shrewd businessman and senses there is more to come because he extended a two-part offer to the couple.

"We won't go into detail about the other funding options we are exploring, but we will be considering other investors."

Cyrus and Olivia stare at each other and he thinks, _touché Olivia Pope_. And she thinks, _I still don't trust you_.

"Cy", Fitz says softly. "While GranPo is off the table, Olivia and I have decided that it would be prudent if I returned to Beene."

Olivia places her hand on her husband's thigh. She knows he might get emotional.

"Cy, you and I have a long, long history together. I have respected you as a brilliant business man and a dear, dear friend. Cy, I love you like a father."

Cyrus reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out his handkerchief, wiping his eyes and nose quickly.

"Cy, you should retire. It's time you enjoyed the fruits of your labor without having to worry about the health of your company. I want to make it easy for you to walk away - to live the good life in Hawaii. So I will come back to Beene. I will take over the reins of your company."

Both sets of blue eyes are filled with tears. Fitz reaches across the table and places his hand on top of his old friend's hand.

"Thank you, Fitzgerald. Thank you, Olivia." The old man says choking back the tears.

 **XXX**

As Olivia stands in front of the full-length mirror in their bedroom she reflects on everything that has happened over the past 18 months. She thinks about how far she has come and how much she has grown as a woman and business owner. She thinks about Dr. McManus and how integral she was in helping her to let go of the past and become more open with Fitz. She thinks about her two new friends Abby and Leo, and smiles when she remembers the day Abby "diagnosed" her pregnancy. She rubs her stomach and shakes her head. She never could have imagined how a routine business meeting at Preggio's would change her life forever. At that time in her life she never hoped for or even dreamed of a life better than the one she was living. Now she can't imagine not having her new life with her husband, which brings her back to the problem at hand, her attire for this important day.

Olivia assesses her appearance in the mirror and isn't sure about her dress choice this morning. She now wishes she had made time to go shopping to buy a new dress for this special occasion. She's groaning as her husband walks from the closet tucking his shirt tail into his pants. He smiles when he sees his very pregnant wife pouting. He loves her new curvy body. Her breasts and ass are full and her hips have spread nicely. He stands behind her and wraps his hands around her protruding stomach, which is on full display today thanks to the form-fitting dress she's wearing.

"You look beautiful, absolutely beautiful", he says, pushing back her hair to reveal her neck. Her hair is really long now and he can't resist touching it. He kisses down the side of her neck.

"Baby, do you think this dress is too tight? I don't want to look inappropriate when you give your speech."

"I love you so much", still kissing down her neck and massaging her breasts.

"Fitz", she whines. "What do you think - about the dress?" She's getting turned on and she knows they really don't have time, not this morning. They can't be late on this day.

"I didn't have time to shop, Fitz. We're so busy setting up the new GranPo office and getting all of the new staff oriented. There is just so much to do."

"You're beautiful. The dress is beautiful. You're beautiful in the dress", resting his chin on her shoulder and rubbing her belly as he looks at their reflection in the mirror.

"Besides, we match", he says, looking down at his charcoal grey pants.

"That's just terrific", she groans. "Now they're going to get a kick out of the new twins showing up for school in the middle of the year."

 **Flashback**

Fitz sits in his small office at GranPo looking at the photograph on his desk of him and Olivia on their wedding day as he reflects on the past 18 months. He shakes his head as he recalls the day he and Cyrus waited at Preggio's for their talent and his attorney to arrive. He never would have imagined that 18 months later he would be married to the love of his life and will be a father in three months. He thinks how much he has grown as a man and as a business leader. He shakes his head and smiles when he hears Amy directing the moving crew in packing up the office to move to their new and larger office across town in the business district. He is proud of Amy and how much she has matured and become a valuable asset to GranPo. He's really going to miss working with her.

The day is bittersweet for him because won't be moving to the new office with them. He won't be a part of GranPo's next growth phase, and that saddens him because he and Olivia worked hard to make GranPo a success. Instead, in two days he will succeed Cyrus as the new President and CEO of the Beene Group. He and Olivia discussed the matter extensively and in the end the answer was always the same, he needed to return to Beene. Cyrus needed retire to focus on his health and he wouldn't do so if he wasn't confident his 40-year-old baby was going to be left in capable hands.

 **XXX**

As Fitz sits at the desk in their apartment writing his succession speech, he reflects on the invaluable lessons he learned while working with the young and energetic GranPo staff. Because GranPo has limited resources, they relied heavily on technology, software tools, and streamlined processes to accomplish the myriad of tasks that normally would require a larger staff. He wants to adopt some of these same practices at Beene. First he wants to extend the use of technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate communication. He will consult with Webster to recommend technologies that will help him to accomplish his goals. He will include the Diane Baker, VP of Human Resources, in those meetings since she had begun to implement some innovative ideas before he resigned.

Fitz wants the entire company, from management to maintenance, to be a part of the transition ceremony where Cyrus Beene passes the leadership mantle to him. After all, the most significant change in The Beene Entertainment Group 40-year history will impact every employee around the world. They need to know who the new President and CEO is, what his beliefs and values are, and the direction in which he plans to take the company. He wants to create a culture at Beene where every employee, who chooses, is actively engaged in building their career and the company, willing to innovate, and have fun doing so. Fitz believes this starts with all 105,000 employees around the world participating in the ceremony where he will outline, at a high level, the future of the company.

Fitz engages Diane Baker in planning the corporate-wide meeting. He wants to answer a few questions, not just from the executives who will be in the banquet room, but from any employee, regardless of their location or position in the company. Diane informed him that their web conferencing tool will enable anyone, at any location, to raise their hand electronically and chat, in real time, with the new President and CEO.

 **Present Day**

Employees around the world prepare to watch the landmark transition in leadership and to listen to what Fitzgerald Grant has to say about the future direction of the company. In a banquet room at headquarters the members of the Board of Directors, the VPs of the various departments, and business directors all wait patiently for their new leader to take the podium. Diane Baker sits in the room and is happy that Fitzgerald Grant has returned to the company. She always enjoyed their meetings and was happy he was supportive of some of her innovative ideas to prepare their workforce for the future growth of the company. Based on recent meetings with him she is hopeful some of her ideas will move forward under his leadership. She smiles in anticipation.

In multi-purpose rooms around the United States and abroad, employees gather to watch the passing of the torch to Cyrus Beene's successor. Small groups also gather in video-conference rooms around the world and individuals watch on their devices from home or on the road. Thacker sits in a video-conference room with the London office staff anxiously awaiting the meeting to start.

"You do recall that Mr. Grant was here, in our offices, a little over a year ago?" He asks, looking around at the eager staff. "He and I spent a week together discussing the progressive measures we have implemented in our offices. He was quite impressed - quite impressed", Thacker gushes.

 **XXX**

Fitz and Olivia are dressed impeccably as they sit next to each other on the stage in the corporate banquet room watching Cyrus deliver his final speech as President and CEO. Cyrus is ecstatic because this is the day he has been waiting for. While the road to this place has been bumpy, filled with so many unexpected obstacles, and his current health situation isn't ideal, he is overjoyed because his son is back home and ready to assume the position for which he was groomed. The anxiety is building as Cyrus Beene winds down his speech.

"And without further ado, I present to you, your new President and CEO, Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the Third."

Olivia is the first on her feet, clapping and smiling; she is so proud of him. She knows he needed to do this – to come back to Beene – for personal and professional reasons. The crowd in the room stand and employees around the world break out into a thunderous applause. They have been waiting for this change for over a year. Although the rumor mill has been rife with speculation as to why Fitzgerald Grant walked away from the company, no one really knows the truth.

Fitz smiles at Olivia, squeezes her hand lightly, and gives her a deep kiss on the lips before he walks across the stage to greet Cyrus. She blushes and swipes her lipstick from his mouth with her thumb.

 _"Oh my, god! Is that his wife?"_ Thacker gasps, cupping his face. _"She's absolutely gorgeous. And she's pregnant!"_

Fitz and Cyrus shake hands and hug before he stands in front of the podium. Cyrus sits next to Olivia.

"This is a great day, Olivia - a great day."

"Yes it is Cyrus", she smiles while looking proudly at her husband.

"Thank you. Thank you. Thanks to those of you in this room, those of you in rooms around this building, and those of you all around the world." He smiles and waves to the cameras.

"He is so handsome. His pictures don't do him justice", a woman working from her home office in Spain types to a co-worker in Jamaica.

"I'll be brief because as you all can see my beautiful wife is very pregnant and I need to get her out of her before Junior decides to make an appearance." He looks over and winks at Olivia and she blushes again. He smiles proudly and the applause starts up again.

 **XXX**

Hand in hand they walk down the highly polished hardwood floors that lead to the Beene executive suite. He is dressed in a charcoal-colored Tom Ford suit, crisp white Ralph Lauren shirt, a pale blue tie that Olivia bought to highlight his bright blue eyes, and black Armani oxfords. She wears a grey, form-fitting Vera Wang maternity dress that displays her six-month pregnant belly prominently. Her shiny hair bounces as her five-inch, black Ferragamo's clack on the hardwood floors next to her husband and the black Prada bag hangs from her left arm. They are the picture of class, of elegance, and love. They both wear the biggest smiles. Lauren stands immediately when she sees the couple walking through the glass doors.

"Mr. Grant, Mrs. Grant, good morning", she says beaming. "It's so good to have you _back_ , sir. We've all missed you around here. Mrs. Grant, you are absolutely radiant", Lauren says, looking at Olivia's protruding stomach.

"Thank you, Lauren", they say in unison as they stroll into Cyrus' former office.

 **A/N: Well, that's all folks. Now we know what Olivia and Fitz have been up to over the past 18 months. Thanks for following my favorite couple and I hope you enjoyed their journey.**

 **BTW, I have the writing bug so look out for my new story called** _ **Home for the Holidays**_ **, if you choose to follow and review. I hope to have chapter 1 up later today.**


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